Stars and Spots: Book One
by Twilarose
Summary: Even on a space station, love is never easy. Ezri and Julian attempt to build a life together, no matter what odds they may face. Will they get their happily ever after? Meanwhile, a former soldier with a violent history tries to find her peace. Can she cope with this post-Dominion world? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"To the Alamo!"

"May she always stand firm against her enemies!"

Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir drank to their favorite holoprogram. Quark shook his head. "Unbelievable."

Miles looked up from his tankard. "What?"

"What do you two find so appealing about reenacting a battle that happened hundreds of years ago?"

Julian leaned back in his chair. "Nothing wrong with a little history. Another round, Chief?"

"Sounds good to me."

Quark refilled their tankards. "This one's on me, gentlemen."

Miles raised his eyebrows. "What's the occasion?"

"Just my way of welcoming you back to Deep Space 9. Now that you're back, you and the Doctor will be wanting to use to use my holosuites again. That means more profit for me."

Julian raised his tankard. "To engineering seminars! May they never rear their ugly heads again!"

"Here, here!" They clanged their glasses together.

Quark rolled his eyes, and left the two friends at the bar. Julian let out a sigh of satisfaction. "So, how were things at the Academy?"

"Very different from what it used to be. They're still trying to rebuild it after the war with the Dominion."

"How did Keiko and the kids feel about being back on Earth?"

"Oh, they had a great time. Keiko spent most of her time resupplying the new botany wing at the Academy. I took the kids to that interspecies zoo in downtown San Francisco a few times; Molly loved it. I had to drag her away from the Calrissian chameleons."

"Still, it's good to be back on the station, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I was worried you wouldn't have any friends with me gone." Julian's wounded expression made Miles laugh. "So what's new with you?"

"Been pretty boring actually. Quark and Morn did have an interesting experience with Arcturian dog bird that they were trying to smuggle onboard. It got loose while they were hiding it in Morn's quarters, and it-."

The Chief interrupted. "That's not what I meant."

"What then?"

Miles lowered his voice. "I'm talking about you and Ezri."

"Oh. That."

'So how's it going"

"It's going well."

"'Well?'"

"Very well."

Miles shook his head in disbelief. "Well, I'm glad I didn't miss anything." Julian got up from his seat. "Where you going?"

The Doctor smirked. "I've got a counseling appointment."

Miles chuckled as his friend left the bar. Julian could try to hide his true feelings all he wanted, but he was clearly in love.

* * *

Ezri Dax stared at the personnel report on her console, and rubbed her temples in frustration. As the station's counselor, it was her duty to make sure all new officers felt welcome. However, there were always some people that presented more of a challenge than others.

Her door chime sounded. "Come in!" Julian walked in, and Ezri beamed at him. "Hey." Her boyfriend walked over to where she was sitting and gave her a kiss. Ezri smiled. Even after almost two months of dating, Julian Bashir still managed to create butterflies in her stomach. "How was the Alamo?"

"Santa Anna over-ran us in 20 minutes."

"Uh oh. Sounds like you and the Chief are out of practice. It normally takes you about an hour before you lose."

"That's funny coming from the Trill who can't take on the Persian army."

"Glad to see how much you value our time together."

Julian smirked, and gave her a kiss in the cheek. "You ready for dinner?"

"Almost. I just need to finish reading this."

Julian looked at the file on Ezri's screen. "Who Lieutenant Aria Mahoney?"

"Our new security officer. She's being transferred from the _Shepard_. Should be arriving on the station in a few hours."

"Mahoney… Any relation to Captain Jack Mahoney?"

Ezri nodded. "He was her father." She turned back to the file. "It also says that her sister was a science officer on _Voyager_ when it disappeared."

"Looks like you got your work cut out for you."

"Seems like it." Ezri turned the monitor off. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"

Julian pulled her out of her chair. "How does dinner in Italy sound?"

Ezri wrapped her arms around his neck. She had to stand on her tiptoes in order to reach. "Very romantic. Has Miles been giving you advice?"

Julian rolled his eyes. "I don't need any advice. Do I?"

Ezri laughed. "No, you're doing splendidly."

"Why, thank you. May I escort you to dinner, Counselor?"

"You may, Doctor."

* * *

_I'm not here to make friends. I'm just here to do my job_. Lieutenant Aria Mahoney repeated this over and over in her head as she rode the lift up to Ops. She hated the lift; it shook slightly as it rose higher, groaning as it did. She still could not believe she was on this old space station, out in the middle of nowhere. She longed for brightness of a starship, with its routine smoothness in all of its operations. _I'm here to do my job_. _I'm not here to make friends_.

The lift lurched to a halt, the doors sliding open to reveal Ops. Aria stepped out, scanning the room for Captain Sisko. A Bajoran woman with red hair approached her. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Lieutenant Mahoney. I've just been transferred here as a part of Starfleet's security detail here on the station."

"Ah, yes." The woman offered her hand, and Aria shook it. "I'm Colonel Kira Nerys, first officer here on Deep Space 9."

Aria nodded in acknowledgement. "May I see the Captain?"

"He's in his office."

"Thank you." She brushed past the Colonel. They could be as friendly as they wanted to be, it wouldn't change anything. _I'm not here to make friends_.

Aria pressed the bell on the wall, and the doors to Sisko's office slid open. The Captain glanced up from his computer. "Lieutenant Mahoney, I presume?"

Aria handed Sisko the data pad she brought with her. "This states that I was transferred to your command at 1900 hours."

"Very good. I want you to report to Constable Odo at 0700 tomorrow to receive your duties."

"Yes, sir."

"Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir?"

"My condolences for the loss of your father. He was a good man; a fine officer."

Aria had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from making a sharp retort. Instead, she nodded and said, "Thank you, sir. Is there anything else?"

"One more thing." Sisko got up from his chair and walked around his desk so that he stood before Aria. "Why did Captain Gale request that you be transferred here?"

Aria stared at him. "Doesn't it say on my record, sir?"

"I want to hear it from you."

She let out a sigh. "The Captain and I had a… disagreement."

"About what?"

"She didn't approve of my security methods."

"And why not?"

"Captain, I became a security officer because I knew how to fight. When we were fighting the Dominion, I was just what they needed. Now, starships don't want a soldier. They want a Starfleet officer that strictly follows protocol. Well, that isn't always enough. Captain Gale thought that I was endangering my life and the lives of her crew, so she had me sent here."

"Well, she was right. The war is over; you're not a soldier anymore. You are a Starfleet officer, and I expect you to act like one. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly."

"Then you're dismissed, Lieutenant."

Aria turned and marched out of his office. Sisko acted exactly the way she expected him to. She would know; she grew up in a Starfleet family. It didn't matter. She was here to do her job, and if Sisko didn't like the way she did it, then that was too bad. _I'm here to do my job_. _I'm not here to make friends_.

* * *

**Yay! First chapter of my first Star Trek fanfiction is done. Few things: Voyager is still missing and no one knows what happened to it, and no one left the station after the war. If you like my writing, go like my Facebook page! It'll give you an inside look on my writing process, and updates on my fanfiction research paper. The link is on my profile page. Review, and I'll give you a Calrissian chameleon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"The time is 0600."

Ezri groaned and buried her face in her pillow. The voice sounded again. "The time is 0600."

"Okayokaygoaway." Ezri turned to Julian, who was still asleep beside her. "Julian," she shook him gently. "It's time to get up."

Julian shook his head, his eyes still closed. Ezri shook him harder. "You're on duty in an hour." No response. "Fine then." Ezri moved to get out of bed, but Julian grabbed her arm. "Julian, you're being ridic-!"

Julian stopped her scolding by kissing her gently on the mouth. When they broke apart, he moved down to her neck. "Why," he asked in between kisses, "Are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

Ezri readjusted herself so that she was facing Julian. She ran her fingers through his hair, and smiled. "You've already been late for duty twice this month."

Julian brushed the spots on Ezri's forehead with his lips. "I've been conducting research on Trills."

Ezri rolled her eyes. "Go!"

"Could you at least join me for breakfast?"

Ezri smiled despite herself. "I think I can manage that."

* * *

The Replimat was crowded, but Ezri and Julian managed to snag a table. Although Ezri participated in his conversation, Julian noticed that she seemed distracted. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him. "Am I really that uninteresting?"

Ezri stared at him, confused. "What?"

"Well, you keep looking around you. If you want to eat with someone else, just say so."

She smiled at him. "Someone's a little jealous."

"I most certainly am not."

Ezri gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm just looking for Lieutenant Mahoney."

"So you are trying to find someone else to eat breakfast with." Ezri rolled her eyes as Julian laughed at her. "You're doing a terrible job of searching. She's been sitting behind you for the past few minutes."

Ezri spun around in her chair. Sure enough, a young woman with black hair knotted at the back of her head was sitting two tables behind her, reading a padd as she ate. Ezri blushed as Julian continued to laugh. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know you were looking for her." Julian drowned the last of his Tarkalean tea and stood up. "I got to run. You up for lunch later?"

"I don't think I can. Ensign Harvey wants me to talk to his daughter sometime today."

"Well, how does an evening at Vic's sound?"

"2000 work for you?"

"It's a date." Julian gave Ezri a kiss. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Julian left the Replimat, and Ezri stared into her coffee mug. Every time she was about to go talk to a new member of the station's crew, she felt like a Gorokian toad was jumping around in her stomach. It wasn't something she could blame on one of her past hosts; she felt this way since she first began her Counselor training. She was always worried that the crew wouldn't see her as someone they could confide in, but as an inexperienced girl trying to prove herself. Ezri took a deep breath. Sitting here worrying wasn't going to make this any easier. Ezri got up from her seat and made her way over to where Lieutenant Mahoney was sitting.

The Lieutenant didn't look up from her reading as Ezri approached her table. Ezri put on her most winning smile and asked, "Mind if I join you?"

Mahoney glanced up from her padd. "If you want to." She watched Ezri as she sat down across from her. Her eyes unnerved Ezri slightly; they were cold, gray, and calculating.

She pushed her discomfort aside. "I'm Ezri Dax."

"Aria Mahoney."

Ezri shifted in her seat. "So, you're new to the station, right? What do you think of it so far?"

Aria set her padd down and stared at her. "Why do you care?"

Ezri was surprised by this sudden show of hostility. "I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Is that all, Counselor?" Aria smirked at Ezri's dumbfounded expression. "You didn't think I would come to this station without knowing the staff, did you?" She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "I must be your dream patient. An ex-soldier that no one wants to have around. A girl who watched her father's ship blow up right in front of her; whose twin sister disappeared without a trace. Well, let me tell you something, Counselor. I am not interested in being analyzed by you. I just want to do my job. Understand?"

Ezri was numbed by Aria's declaration, but she managed to nod. "Of course. But if you ever change your mind-."

"I won't" Aria stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." She walked out of the Replimat, leaving Ezri sitting alone.

Ezri took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She knew that it might be difficult to get Aria to open up to her, but she never expected such a harsh rejection of her help. The worst part of it was that Aria did need her help. It was clear that she was still suffering from the deaths of her father and sister from her cold attitude. But how could you help someone who didn't want to be helped?

* * *

Aria stormed through the Promenade, fuming. How dare that woman try to give her advice. She didn't need help, especially not from that Counselor. _I'm here to do my job_. _I'm not here to make friends_. She passed the Ferengi's bar on her way to Odo's office, and one of the workers ran out to greet her.

"Good morning, madame! It always pleases me to a beautiful new face appearing on the Promenade." Aria stared at him in horror as he continued. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to DS9. I'm Quark, and if there's anything you need," Aria noticed how his eyes were moving over body. "Anything at all, please don't hesitate to give me a call."

"Quark." The Ferengi started at the new voice. A blond man wearing a Bajoran security uniform was standing a short distance away. The abnormal smoothness of his facial features identified him as a Changeling; this had to be Odo. "I hope you're not bothering my new security officer."

"Bothering? Quite the contrary; I was just trying to make her feel welcome."

"I'm sure you were." Odo glanced at Aria, who was glaring at Quark. "If you would come with me, Lieutenant, I'd like to discuss your duties on the station." He led her away, leaving Quark standing by himself.

Odo led Aria through his office doors, saying, "You'll have to keep an eye on Quark."

"I've dealt with Ferengi before; I can handle him." Aria watched as Odo sat down behind his desk, leaving her standing. She knew Odo didn't work with the Founders, but it was hard for her to be near him. The Founders had been responsible for so many deaths during the war, including her father, and standing so close to a Changeling made her feel slightly nauseous.

Odo's gruff voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'd like for you to join Sargent Kalum's team in patrolling the docking ring. He can work out your shifts." Odo glanced up at Aria, who was biting the inside of her cheek. "Is there are problem?"

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"I'm not Starfleet; you can say whatever you want."

"You're assigning me to patrol duty?"

"In the docking ring, yes."

Aria couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But I can do so much more than that! On the _Shepard _I didn't go looking for security threats, I responded to them."

"And your responses are what got you thrown off that ship." Odo stood so that he was at eye level with Aria. "Do you really expect me to place you in charge of civilian security after you nearly got two of your crew killed breaking up a gambling ring? Or after that incident with the Andorian miners? If you want me to trust you with the lives of the people on this station, you're going to have to earn it. Do I make myself clear?"

Aria glared at the constable. "Yes, sir."

"Then report to Sargent Kalum." Odo sat down and turned away from Aria, indicating that she was dismissed.

Aria stared at the back of Odo's head, furious. Then she turned and stormed out of his office. How dare he treat her like some ensign fresh out of the Academy. He should be grateful to have her around! _I'll show them_, she vowed. _Sisko, Odo, all of them. I'm the best there is, and I'm not afraid to prove it_.

* * *

Miles groaned as him and Julian walked down the halls of the Habitat Ring. "I'm getting too old for this."

Julian laughed at his friend. "Too much time in Academy classrooms, that's your problem. In a few weeks you'll be chasing Santa Anna out of the Alamo just like before."

"Actually, I thought we could try this new program."

Julian gave Miles and incredulous look. "You want to get rid of the Alamo?"

"Not get rid of it, just try something new."

"Alright, what is this new program?"

"It's a collection of adventures about this man called Indiana Jones from the 1980s."

Julian interrupted. "Was he a real person?"

"Nah, fictional. Anyway, there's some really good stories in the program, and you should see what Indiana Jones can do with a whip."

Julian raised his eyebrows. "I'll have to check it out." The pair had reached Julian's quarters. "See you tomorrow, Miles."

"'Night, Julian." Miles continued down the hall as Julian entered his quarters. It had been a long day, what with two surgeries and over an hour in the holosuites with Miles, and he was ready to call it a day. He had just settled down in his favorite armchair when the door chime sounded.

"Come in." Ezri walked through the door, and Julian smiled at her. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes. What's up?"

Ezri's voice was tight as she asked, "Do you know what time it is?"

For a moment, Julian was confused. Then he remembered. "Our date."

Ezri glared at him. "I've been waiting in my quarters for over an hour. Where were you?"

"Miles booked a holosuite." Ezri let out a snort of disbelief, and Julian angrily defended himself. "I haven't spent time with Miles in months!"

"So you just decided to run off to the holosuites without asking me first?"

"I don't need your permission to spend time with my friends!"

"That's not the point!"

"Well, what is?"

"All I want is to know when you decide to cancel a date; for a little consideration."

"You've canceled loads of dates before, and I never yelled at you!"

Ezri let out a groan of frustration. "Because I told you about it beforehand. You're acting like a child!"

"Oh, so now we're insulting each other?"

"You're the one who's trying to start a fight!"

"And what did you come here for?"

"I came to talk!"

"Well, go ahead, Counselor. See if you can talk without yelling at me!"

"Will you calm down? You're making this a bigger deal than it has to be."

But Julian wouldn't back down. Once his temper was stroked, he could keep going for a long time. "You're the one who came in here yelling at me for an honest mistake. You always do this, Jadzia. You start a fight then-!"

"What did you call me?" Ezri was staring at him, horrified.

Too late, Julian realized his mistake. All the anger immediately left him at the look on Ezri's face. He reached out to her. "I… I didn't mean… Ezri, it was an accident."

But she was backing away from him, her eyes filling with tears. "How could you?" She whispered.

"Ezri, please…" She ignored Julian's pleas, and ran out of the room. Julian was left alone, staring at the place where she had stood only a few seconds before, the place where he had broken her heart.

* * *

**Introducing the evil cliffy! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review; it would mean more to me than getting to command my own starship. If you could also like my Facebook page, that would be great as well. Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Julian didn't get much sleep last night. Part of the reason was that he had grown used to having Ezri beside him as he slept, and her absence kept him tossing and turning all night. That, and every time that he closed his eyes, all he could see was Ezri's hurt face.

How could he have been so stupid to call her Jadzia? The feelings he used to have for Jadzia always made Ezri slightly uncomfortable, like Julian was only with her because she carried Jadzia's memories. Now, he had confirmed her worst fears: that he was just another person who saw her as a replacement as Jadzia.

Julian hit his pillow in frustration. He never once considered Ezri a replacement for Jadzia. Sometimes he could see bits of Jadzia in her, but he knew Ezri couldn't help it. Last night, while they were arguing, Julian saw all of Jadzia's passion and temper coming out through Ezri. Her eyes, which were the same shade of blue as Jadzia's, had burned with a familiar fire that Julian had not seen for a long time and, for a moment, he felt the presence of his old friend. Unfortunately, he mistook that presence for the real thing, and he responded as if Jadzia was really there instead of Ezri. But she hadn't been there, and Ezri paid the price.

Julian let out a long sigh. Right now, they both needed time to cool off. He would try to talk to Ezri in the morning, explain his mistake. Surely she would understand; every joined Trill had similar experiences. They had their share of fights before, and they always managed to resolve without too much difficulty. Hopefully, this would have the same results.

* * *

Apologizing to Ezri was proving to be far more difficult than Julian anticipated. She refused to answer his hails on her commbadge, and when he went by her quarters, the doors were locked. Julian was starting to get worried. Ezri never avoided him like this before. Maybe she was angrier than he originally thought. If she didn't want to make up… Julian shook his head. He had to try; Ezri was far too important for him to lose.

He finally managed to track down Ezri in the Replimat. She was sitting with Miles, laughing at some joke he just told her. When she saw Julian, however, the smile slid off her face. She said something to Miles, then left before Julian reached the table. Julian's heart sank as he watched her walk away. How could he apologize if she wouldn't let him near her?

Miles looked up from his meal and saw his friend's dejected face. "Trouble in paradise?"

Julian dropped down into Ezri's abandoned seat. "What did she say?"

"Nothing, actually. I didn't even know you two were fighting until she ran off. What's wrong?"

Julian let out a long sigh. "I called her Jadzia."

"Ah."

"It was accident! We were having an argument, and she was acting just like her, so," Julian gestured hopelessly, "I called her Jadzia."

"And she thinks that you only see her as Jadzia, not Ezri."

"I don't know; she's not speaking to me." Julian replied bitterly. "But yeah, I guess so."

"Hmm." Miles sipped at his coffee, looking thoughtful.

"What is it?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

"If you have something to say, just say it."

Miles put his mug down. "Have you considered that she might be right?"

"What?!" Julian couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How can you say that?"

"You can't have Ezri without having Jadzia. Maybe you only see the Jadzia in Ezri, instead of Ezri as a whole."

"That's not true! I love Ezri for her, not because of her past hosts."

"You loved Jadzia, too."

"That was a long time ago. Besides, Ezri and Jadzia are nothing alike."

"Technically, they're almost the same person."

"Don't debate Trill philosophy with me!" Julian snapped.

"Sorry, sorry. All I'm trying to say is that I can see why Ezri's so upset."

"I just wish she would let me explain. I didn't mean to hurt her."

""It doesn't matter what you meant, the fact remains that you did."

Julian scowled at Miles. "Thanks. You always know just what to say to make me feel better."

Miles smirked. "Years of practice. Just give her some time. She'll talk when she's ready."

Julian sighed dejectedly. "I hope so."

Miles couldn't help a small smile at his friend's despair, but he quickly hid it. Julian's relationship with Ezri had changed him; he had never seen him so concerned with what someone thought of him. Miles stood up. "I've got to get going. Seems like everything was waiting 'til I got back to break down." He clapped Julian on the shoulder. "Good luck."

Julian tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. "Thanks." Miles left, and Julian was left by himself. He needed all the luck he could get if he wanted Ezri to forgive him.

* * *

"Hey, Ezri!" Ezri started as Kira approached her on the Promenade. "I called you about three times."

Ezri smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm a bit preoccupied this morning."

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." Ezri lied. She didn't feel like talking about her fight with Julian just yet. "Are you heading up to Ops?"

Kira didn't look entirely convinced by Ezri's reassurance, but she nodded. "I was talking to Odo about Lieutenant Mahoney. Have you met her yet?"

"I talked to her briefly. It didn't go well."

Kira smirked as the pair entered the turbolift. "Ops. According to Odo, she's nothing but trouble. You should have heard him going on about all the trouble she got into on her last assignment. I think he likes her." Kira glanced at Ezri, expecting her to laugh, but the Trill was staring blankly at the wall. "Computer, halt turbolift."

Ezri stared at Kira as the lift jolted to a stop. "What's going on?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Just leave it alone, Nerys."

"Hey," Kira's voice was soft with concern. "We're friends. Tell me what's wrong."

Ezri found herself opening up to Kira's kindness. "It's Julian."

"Did you have a fight?"

"It was stupid, really. He forgot to tell me he was going to the holosuites with Miles. We were arguing, and… and he called me Jadzia."

"Oh, Ezri…"

"I should've known this would happen!"

"What do you mean?"

"He loved Jadzia."

"And you think… Ezri, I'm sure Julian isn't with you because you carry Julian's memories."

"I remember how he used to chase after her. He really loved her." Ezri angrily brushed away the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. "This is the thing with Worf all over again! I keep trying to have a relationship with people who only want Jadzia, not me."

"Hey, calm down. I know Julian, and I'm sure this is all just a stupid mistake on his part."

"But what if it isn't?"

Kira shrugged. "The only way to know for certain is to ask him."

"I don't want to talk to him."

"Ezri…"

"I know, I know. I'm a Counselor; I should be 'let's talk about our feelings' and everything. Oh, gods, is that what I sound like? No wonder people don't like therapists."

"This isn't just going to go away on its own."

Ezri nodded. "I know I'll have to talk to him eventually. But right now, I don't think I could even be in the same room as him. I just need some time." She tried to lighten the mood by smiling at Kira. "Are you sure you don't want to be a Counselor? You're pretty good at it."

Kira smiled back. "What are friends for?"

Suddenly, Sisko's voice boomed out through the commsystem. "Senior staff, report to the Wardroom."

Ezri glanced at Kira. "What do you think is happening?"

"I don't know." Kira tapped her commbadge. "This is Kira. Captain, what's going on?"

"Jem'Hadar have been found in the Alpha Quadrant."

* * *

**Wow, that was a pretty fast update. My muse must be drinking 5 Hour Energy. I hope you liked this chapter; I really enjoyed writing it. Please don't kill me for another cliffy! I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. Until then, review and subscribe!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"The _U.S.S. Morning Star_ was exploring a nebula along the Cardassian border when they found this." Sisko gestured to the monitor, which now displayed a damaged Jem'Hadar warship. "It appears that they suffered an engine overload. The _Morning Star _sent a team over to investigate, but there was no sign of the crew and all the critical equipment was missing."

Kira interrupted. "You think the Jem'Hadar got off the ship when it was disabled and took anything important with them."

"Exactly, and they had to go somewhere, and someone had to take them there. Starfleet Command thinks there may still be Jem'Hadar hiding in the nebula, and they want us to take the _Defiant _to investigate."

Julian frowned. "The Cardassian border isn't exactly next door. Couldn't the _Morning Star_ look into it?"

"The _Morning Star_ is a research vessel; if there are Jem'Hadar in the nebula, it wouldn't stand a chance. Starfleet is spread too thin to send other ships in unless there is a definite threat, and the _Defiant_ is available." Sisko's face darkened. "If there are Jem'Hadar in that nebula, then they are a threat to all life in the Alpha Quadrant. They have to be removed. Colonel, you're in command of the station. The rest of you be ready to leave within four hours. Dismissed."

As everyone headed for the door, Ezri approached Sisko. "Do you have a minute, Benjamin?"

"Of course." Sisko waited until the rest had left. "What's on your mind, old man?"

"You don't need a Counselor to track down some Jem'Hadar."

"No, but I do need someone with a background in engineering and science."

"You already have the Chief, and you could take Ensign ch'Thane with you. He is your new science officer."

"Ensign ch'Thane isn't familiar with the _Defiant _yet. Besides, he doesn't have your experience."

"Jadzia's experience." Ezri corrected.

Sisko shrugged. "I suppose." Seeing the look on Ezri's face, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not comfortable going on a mission just so you can have access to my previous hosts. I'm not Jadzia, I'm not Curzon, I'm Ezri."

"I don't have much of a choice. We're shorthanded, and I need your help. I need you on the Defiant, along with Jadzia, Curzon, and all the others. I need you to be Dax."

Ezri sighed. "Is that an order?"

"If it has to be." Sisko looked at his friend, concerned. "Is everything alright? You don't seem like yourself."

"I'm fine, Ben. Just a lot on my mind right now."

"If there's anything I can do…"

"I appreciate it, but this is something I need to figure out on my own. Now if you'll excuse me, I better get ready to leave." She headed for the door.

"Ezri." She turned back to Sisko. "Thank you."

Ezri smiled at her oldest friend. "Anytime, Ben." She meant it, too. Ben was there for her when she needed him, and she would do everything she could in order to help him, even if it meant being someone she wasn't.

* * *

News of the Jem'Hadar ship spread quickly. Aria was amazed by how fast people could fall into a panic. She could see it in their eyes, the way they were rushing around the station, trying to make sure things were in order before the _Defiant_ left. The fear of war was a powerful thing and, in Aria's opinion, an unnecessary one. All this fuss over a lone Jem'Hadar ship; for all anyone knew, it could have been floating around in that nebula since the Dominion entered the Alpha Quadrant. There was no solid proof that the Dominion still had forces in the Alpha Quadrant, and Aria wasn't going to be reduced to panic until that proof was found.

She saw Odo moving through the crowd. Cutting through the throngs of people, Aria caught up to him and matched his pace. Odo didn't even glance at her. "What is it, Lieutenant?"

"I hear you're taking the _Defiant_ to investigate the Jem'Hadar ship."

And where did you hear that?"

"It's not exactly a secret, sir. I also heard that Lieutenant Malloy's sick, and that he won't be able to go on the mission."

"Your point?"

"I want to take his place, sir."

Odo stopped walking and turned to face Aria. "Do you really expect me to assign a new security officer to such an important mission, especially one with your history? Not a chance."

Aria refused to back down. "You told me I need to do better if I want to serve on this station. How can I do that if you won't give me a chance? Besides, I fought plenty of Jem'Hadar during the War. If you leave me behind, you'll only be hurting yourselves."

Odo and Aria stared each other down for several moments. Finally, Odo nodded. "Alright, Lieutenant. You can join the mission, but understand this: you are to follow my orders completely and without question. Disobey me, and I'll have you shipped out on the next transport. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"The Defiant leaves in 30 minutes. I suggest you get onboard." Odo continued on his way, leaving Aria alone but triumphant. She would do what Odo told her, but she would make sure he realized what she could really do in the process.

* * *

The atmosphere on the bridge of the _Defiant_ was subdued; it was the first time they had taken the ship out since the end of the war. The only person who had any kind of energy was Ensign Prynn Tenmei, the new helmsman. She arrived on the station a few days earlier along with security officer Lieutenant Aria Mahoney and Ensign Thirishar ch'Thane, the new Andorian science officer. Prynn hadn't expected to go on a mission so soon, and she was bursting with nerves and excitement, Chief O'Brien couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. He remembered feeling the same way on his first mission. He saw Lieutenant Mahoney when he came onboard, but she didn't seem to share any of Ensign Tenmei's enthusiasm. She had more experience than the Ensign, and Miles knew that after a few missions, Tenmei would conduct herself with the same level of seriousness as Mahoney. For some reason, that saddened Miles.

Pushing the Ensign out of his mind, Miles redirected his attention back to the problem at hand. He knew the Defiant inside and out, but Nog had made several repairs and upgrades in his absence. He was a smart kid, but still young, and Miles hadn't gotten the chance to familiarize himself with all the changes. Julian wasn't helping his concentration, either. The Doctor was sitting at his station next to Miles, but he kept letting out long sighs and glancing over his shoulder at Ezri. Without looking away from his console, Miles said, "Staring at her isn't going to make her forgive you."

Julian turned to his friend, his face anxious. "She's acting like I don't even exist! What am I supposed to do?"

"Look, I get you're going through a rough time right now, but you've got to focus. Your problems with Ezri are gonna have to wait until we get back."

Miles wasn't the only one who noticed Julian's distress. Worf was growing curious about the constant glances Julian was throwing Ezri's way and why she was ignoring him. Finally, he asked, "Has Doctor Bashir done something to make you angry?"

"You could say that."

"Would you like me to speak with him?"

Ezri smiled despite herself. "I don't think that's necessary." Sisko entered the bridge. "We're ready to leave when you are, Captain."

Sisko nodded at her and took his place in the Captain's chair. "Disengage docking clamps. Ensign, take her out, and set course for the Cardassian border."

* * *

Reaching the nebula was no problem; the challenge was searching it for the Jem'Hadar. The nebula was interfering with long range sensors, so they wouldn't know the Jem'Hadar were there until they got into visual range. Everyone was on edge, but Aria was enjoying herself. Going on missions like this was one of the reasons she joined Starfleet, not for research expeditions or diplomatic relations. The threat of danger excited her in ways she couldn't describe, and she was longing to see some action. Aria decided to go up to the bridge. If anything was going to happen, it would be there.

No one paid much attention to Aria as she entered the bridge, which suited her just fine. She gazed at the faces of the bridge officers; they were all tense and serious. Captain Sisko and Odo were in the back, talking quietly. Aria managed to tune in to their conversation.

"What I want to know is why there are still Jem'Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant." Sisko was saying. "They were supposed to leave with the others when the Dominion withdrew."

"I don't believe it was an accident, Captain." Odo remarked dryly.

"You think they were left behind on purpose?"

"That or they got lost on the way home. Very lost."

"There's something else on your mind, Constable."

Odo snorted. "I doubt a group of Jem'Hadar would be trusted to carry out a covert operation on their own. Someone has to be commanding them."

"A Founder?"

"Or a Vorta, at least. This isn't going to be a simple scouting mission, Captain. If we do encounter any Jem'Hadar, we'll have a fight on our hands."

"Captain!" Everyone started at Ensign Tenmei's sudden cry. She pointed to the viewscreen, where a dark mass was growing larger and larger.

"Red alert." Sisko moved behind Tenmei. "Move us in closer, Ensign. Nice and slow."

All eyes were fixed on the viewscreen as the dark mass grew more defined, revealing it to be a space station. Aria was the first to speak. "It's a Jem'Hadar breeding facility. They were supposed to be destroyed."

"Dax, are there any Jem'Hadar ships in the area?" Sisko asked.

Ezri checked the sensors. "Nothing close by, Captain."

"Scan the station. Are there any life signs aboard?"

Ezri shook her head. "None. The station does have an atmosphere, though."

Sisko took a deep breath. "Chief, Doctor, Odo, you're with me." He turned to Aria. "Do you know the layout of these facilities?" She nodded. "Then I want you to come, too. Commander Worf, you have the bridge."

As Julian followed Sisko and the others, he tried one final time to get Ezri's attention. For a moment, their eyes met, but then she turned away. Julian tried to put his hurt feeling aside, but it was hard. Miles was right, though; he had to stay focused. After this mission, he could concentrate on getting Ezri to forgive him, but right now, his priority was getting in and out of a Jem'Hadar base alive.

* * *

Ezri turned to face Worf. "They've beamed over."

The Klingon nodded in acknowledgement. "Keep the comm open. I want to know if they encounter any difficulties. Be sure that you maintain a constant transporter lock as well." Worf addressed Sisko over the comm. "Is there anyone over there, Captain?"

Sisko's voice replied. "There doesn't appear to be."

Aria's voice sounded over the comm. "Captain, we should try to locate the station's reactor. If we have to destroy it, it would be more effective to place charges there."

"Alright. Bashir, go with her. Chief, see if you can get anything from the computer system."

The commline fell silent as the away team attended to their duties. Prynn began tapping her fingers against the helm as they waited for an update. Worf glared at her. "Stop that."

Tenmei jumped guiltily. "Sorry."

"Be nice, Worf." Ezri chided. She smiled at Prynn. "Is this your first assignment?"

"Third, actually. Guess I still haven't gotten the hang of waiting around."

Suddenly, a shout from Doctor Bashir interrupted their conversation. Sisko immediately hailed him. "What happened, Doctor? Are you alright?"

Ezri anxiously waited for Julian to reply. As angry as she was with him, she didn't want to see him hurt.

Aria's amused voice answered Sisko. "Everything's fine, Captain. The Doctor just wasn't paying attention to where he was going."

Julian's grumbles sounded over the comm. "You think the Jem'Hadar would be more concerned with cleaning up after themselves." Suddenly, his voice changed. "Captain, I think I found something."

"What is it, Doctor?"

Aria took in a sharp breath. "There's a room just across the hall, Captain. It's being used to produce Ketracel White."

Julian continued. "It doesn't seem to be of the same nutritional value as what the Jem'Hadar used during the War, but it's definitely White, and someone's been using it."

There was a long silence, and then Sisko asked, "Is there anything on the computer that we can use, Chief?"

"Negative, sir. Someone wiped the memory core."

"Mahoney, get to the reactor and plant your charges. Whoever's using this facility isn't going to have something to come back to. _Defiant_, prepare to beam us out on my signal. Sisko out."

Ezri shared a look with Worf. It looked like there were still Jem'Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant. Whether they were left behind by accident or on purpose didn't matter, they were a threat to the fragile peace that the Federation was trying to uphold. The threat of a new war was beginning to rear its ugly head, and no one could predict what would happen next.

* * *

After the Jem'Hadar facility was destroyed, the _Defiant_ began the trip back to Deep Space 9. Sisko had contacted Starfleet Command to inform them of their discovery, and they would assign ships to patrol the nebula in case there were still Jem'Hadar in the area. Ezri was worried about how this was going to affect the station's morale. After the Dominion's surrender, her office had been full of people who needed her help. Some had lost friends, others their families, and some were just trying to come to terms with what they had done on the battlefield. She had done her best to help them, but in the end, only time could heal their wounds. Now they would be forced to abandon their healing process in order to respond to the Jem'Hadar threat. Ezri entered the turbo lift. Hopefully this was just an isolated incident, and they wouldn't have to go back to war.

The lift doors were about to close when Julian caught them. When he saw Ezri, he hesitated, but entered anyway. Ezri refused to acknowledge him; she wasn't ready to forgive him. For several moments, they rode the lift in silence. Julian was the first to speak. "How long are you going to avoid me?"

Ezri didn't even look at him as she answered. "I'm not ignoring you. I just don't feel like talking to you."

"But I need to talk to you."

"Well, that's too bad!"

"Why won't you let me explain?"

"I don't have time for this." Ezri turned away, but Julian grabbed her arm. "Let go of me!"

"Ezri, I swear I didn't mean to call you Jadzia. Try to understand-."

"I understand better than you think." She hissed. "You still love Jadzia, and you never loved me. The only reason you're with me is because I gave you the chance she never did!"

Julian's voice was cold. "Is that what you think? That I would stoop that low?"

"I don't know what to think." The lift doors slid open. "Now let me go." Julian released her, but the hurt look on his face almost made Ezri feel guilty. Almost. "Just leave me alone."

"I can't." He whispered.

"Try." Ezri stormed off. How dare he try to make her feel guilty; make it seem like he was the victim. He hurt her, and she wanted him to feel as awful as she did. Ezri was surprised by the vicious thought. Just a few days ago, she couldn't imagine not having Julian Bashir in her life. Now…

Ezri stopped in the middle of the hall. Did she really want to end her relationship with Julian? Was she willing to throw away all the happiness they had shared together? If Julian really was still in love with Jadzia, then the choice was obvious. But what if he did love her? What if calling her Jadzia was simply an accident? And there was also the fact that Ezri loved Julian with all her heart. If this was just a misunderstanding, then leaving him would be a mistake. Ezri shook her head, trying to clear it. Right now, she needed some time to think. One thing that remained constant through the lives of the Dax hosts is that love was never easy.

* * *

Aria could sense that something was wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was out of place, and she was determined to figure out what it was. She roamed the halls, trying to locate the source of her discomfort. Aria went around the corner, and ran right in Ezri.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Counselor. Excuse me."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going…" Further down the hall, Aria heard a door open and close. "There!" She tore down the corridor, Ezri following her. There was only one door in that area, and it led to the weapons locker. Aria slid to a halt in front of it, and knelt to examine the console.

Ezri caught up to her. "Do you mind telling me what this is all about?"

"Just following a hunch."

"A hunch? You're running around the ship based on a hunch?"

"Yup." Aria pried off the console casing and tossed it aside, examining the wiring inside.

Ezri knelt down as well. "What is it?"

Aria allowed herself a grim smile. "You see these relays? Someone fused them to get access to the weapons locker. Since they didn't use their security code…"

"They probably didn't have one to begin with." Ezri finished.

Aria nodded. "Which means they shouldn't be on this ship in the first place. Console's useless, but I think I can still get in. Give me a second."

"Don't you think we should call for help?"

"Trust me, Counselor; I can handle whatever's in there." The door slid open, revealing two Jem'Hadar soldiers.

For a second, both groups stared at each other. Then the Jem'Hadar started firing. Aria managed to duck and roll out of the way, but Ezri wasn't fast enough. A blast from one of their rifles hit her in the stomach, and she fell to the ground. She didn't get back up.

Aria took cover on the other side of the door. She hit her commbadge, yelling, "This is Mahoney. Jem'Hadar are onboard! I repeat, there are Jem'Hadar on the ship!" Without waiting to confirm if anyone heard her, Aria grabbed her phaser and returned fire. Most of her shots missed, but she managed to hit one in the face, and he went down. Unfortunately, Aria had to expose herself in order to shoot him, and his companion shot her in the shoulder. Gritting her teeth through the pain, Aria managed to hit him in the chest. The corridor fell silent. Aria's shoulder burned as she crawled over to Ezri. She shook her gently, but she didn't wake up. Aria's world was growing dark. Security officers suddenly filled the hall, and the last thing Aria remembered seeing was Odo's face before she passed out.

* * *

**Woohoohoo! That was exciting, wasn't it? If you're confused as to how the Jem'Hadar got onboard (magic, duh!), don't worry; I'll explain it next chapter. Until then, you're just going to have to deal with yet another cliffy. Fun fact: I actually did not create Prynn Tenmei or Thirishar ch'Thane. They're characters from the DS9 relaunch novels. I strongly recommend reading them; they're very good. Review and I'll update faster!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When Aria finally regained consciousness, she was lying on a biobed in Deep Space 9's sickbay. She sat bolt upright, but the sudden pain in her shoulder caused her to fall back. Doctor Bashir heard her and came over to investigate. "Are you alright?"

Aria groaned. "I feel like someone set my arm on fire."

"Someone did, in a sense." Bashir pulled up a display on the monitor. "The weapon you were shot with had an interesting side effect. It contained a biological component designed to spread from cell to cell, destroying them as it goes." Aria had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at the Doctor's impressed tone. Of course he would find the idea of every cell in her body being destroyed fascinating. "I managed to stop the spread of the compound and repaired the tissue damage, but the cellular damage will take a few days before it is completely healed."

Aria wasn't really paying attention to what the Doctor was saying; she was trying to recall what happened before she passed out. "Is Counselor Dax okay?"

The Doctor's voice tightened slightly as he answered. "She's still unconscious, but she should recover fully."

Aria ignored the Doctor's tone. She heard that he was in a relationship with Dax; he probably blamed her for his lover's injuries. Dax was a Starfleet officer; she knew the risks that came with the job. If Bashir couldn't handle that, then maybe he should reconsider his career choice. Aria wouldn't let herself be held responsible for an injury that could have just as easily happened to her. Deciding not to start an argument with the person who was in charge of her medical care, Aria changed the subject. "What about the Jem'Hadar?"

"The one you shot in the face didn't survive his injuries. I released the other to Odo half an hour ago."

Aria ran her fingers through her hair. Someone had released it from its usual tight bun while she was unconscious, and it now fell about her shoulders in inky black waves. "How did they even get onboard?"

"From what we gathered, they took advantage of the fact that the _Defiant_ had to lower its shields in order to beam us back from the station. It looks like the station wasn't abandoned like we thought."

Aria stared at him in disbelief. "And no one detected them?"

"We still have difficulty detecting Jem'Hadar while they're shrouded and since they beamed aboard the same time we did, we weren't able to detect their transporter signal." Bashir stared at Aria, curious. "How did you even know they were onboard?"

She let out a sigh. "During the War, my team was pursuing a Jem'Hadar attack cruiser when it crashed on a small moon. We landed in order to deal with the survivors, but were forced to seek shelter from a storm in a cave. The Jem'Hadar had the same idea we did. They were shrouded, so we couldn't detect them until it was too late. You never forget that feeling of being hunted, of someone watching you without you knowing where they are. It's a miracle any of us survived." Aria shook her head, trying to push the memories away. She jumped down from the biobed. "Thanks for your help, Doctor."

Bashir caught her arm as she headed for the door. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To have a little chat with the Jem'Hadar who shot me."

Bashir shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't allow that, Lieutenant."

"You can't allow that?" Aria glared at him. "Why not?"

"You suffered severe cellular damage that will take time to heal. You're going to have to wait at least three days before you can go back to duty."

"Three days? Doctor-!"

"I'll confine you to sickbay if necessary."

Aria stared at him, speechless with disbelief. When she realized that he wasn't going to change his mind, she relented. "Fine, but if the station is invaded while you have me recovering, don't blame me!"

Julian watched Aria storm out of sickbay, and let out a sigh of relief. The Lieutenant was a difficult person to get along with. When they investigated the Jem'Hadar station, she showed no interest in getting to know the rest of the crew or letting them get to know her. She put up these walls and refused to let anything on or out. She had let those walls come down for a moment when she spoke of being hunted by Jem'Hadar, but when she realized that she was inviting sympathy, she closed back up. Aria's problem was that she was too proud; too proud to share her feelings, too proud to ask for help when she needed it.

Julian swallowed down a wave of anger that was beginning to rise up inside of him. If Aria had called for backup when she was supposed to, she could have avoided the injuries she and Ezri sustained. Julian arrived on the scene not long after security took custody of the Jem'Hadar. When he saw Ezri lying motionless on the ground…

Julian made his way over to where Ezri was being treated by Nurse Richter. It was unethical for him to treat Ezri himself due to his relationship with her, but it was hard for him to just stand by and do nothing while she suffered. Richter was frowning at her tricorder as Julian approached. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's strange, Doctor. I stopped the cellular damage, but her vital signs still haven't returned to normal."

"Let me see." Julian took the tricorder from Richter and scanned Ezri himself. Sure enough, her blood pressure and heart rate were lower than usual. "Did you have any trouble repairing the tissue damage?"

"No, Doctor. Could it have something to do with the area that was hit?"

"Possibly. The damage could have spread to her vital organs, or -." Julian stopped midsentence. He just noticed something that the scan picked up: Ezri's isoboromine levels were dangerously low. He froze, his blood running cold. "Did you check the symbiant?"

Richter looked surprised. "No, I didn't think-."

"Well, check it now!" Julian snapped. As Richter scanned the symbiant, he watched Ezri's pale face, hoping, praying…

"Doctor, I'm detecting severe tissue damage to the symbiant, along with massive cellular decay."

Julian had to swallow before he was able to speak. "Inject her with 20 ccs of isoboromine. That should keep the symbiant stable until we can treat it."

As Richter rushed off to prepare a hypospray, Julian stared numbly down at Ezri. All the anger and frustration he had felt toward her earlier seemed so far away now. If they were unable to repair the damage done to the Dax symbiant then it would die, killing Ezri as well.

* * *

**A short chapter, but one I enjoyed writing. Please let me know what you thought; your opinions mean a lot to me. I would like to dedicate this chapter's cliffhanger to my friend McKynlee, who I am sure will beat me over the head the next time she sees me for using another cliffhanger.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Ezri was drowning. She couldn't move, she could barely see, and every breath was a struggle. The only way she could tell that she was still alive was that she could hear whispers all around her. "Dax?" She called out. "Dax, are you there?"

Audrid's soft, warm face loomed out of the gloom, her dark eyes sad. "There's no one here, child. You're alone."

Ezri was shaking. "Help me!"

"Help you?" Audrid was now Jadzia. "You can't even help yourself."

Ezri tried to turn away, but Curzon was there. "You're just a child."

Emony whispered in her ear. "So confused."

Tobin replaced her. "What is she doing here?"

Torias glared down at Ezri. "She's not worthy of Joining."

"Not worthy to be Dax." Lela whispered.

Ezri let out a strangled sob. "Please, I don't know what to do." The air surrounding her suddenly turned to fire, and she let out a terrified scream. The faces of the past hosts vaporized into smoke. "Don't leave me! I need you!"

Joran's face laughed at her from the flames. "Burn, little girl. No one's going to save you this time." Ezri tried to run, but the fire blocked her path. Instead, she buried her head in her arms and waited for it to consume her.

* * *

Ezri's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, she couldn't tell where she was, then she noticed the monitors surrounding her, and realized she was in sickbay. She tried to move, but her limbs felt like lead. She heard footsteps, and the next thing Ezri saw was Julian's face. He tried to smile, but Ezri knew him well enough to tell that it was forced. "Good to see you're finally awake."

Hearing Julian's voice immediately made Ezri feel better, but she pushed those feelings aside. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost twelve hours." Julian glanced down at his boots, as if looking at Ezri was suddenly painful.

Ezri blinked furiously. For some reason, Julian's face was starting to blur. "What happened? The Jem'Hadar-?" She tried to sit up again, but fell back with a moan as pain shot through her abdomen.

"Easy, easy. You need to rest."

Ezri stared up at Julian, but he avoided her gaze. "There's something you're not telling me. What's wrong?"

Julian spoke carefully, his voice tense. "The symbiant was injured when you were attacked. I've managed to stabilize it for the time being, but I'm not sure how to repair the damage yet."

Ezri closed her eyes, letting the words sink in. "How bad is it?"

"There's a lot of cellular damage, and we also believe it suffered severe burns as well." Julian hesitated, then continued. "You're isoboromine levels have dropped to 53%. We've been trying to bring them up with injections, but we haven't had much success."

"I'm going to die, aren't I?" Ezri could hear her voice shaking.

"No!" Ezri opened her eyes and looked up into Julian's face. His amber eyes were burning as he stared at her. "I'm not going to let that happen. You'll get through this, I promise."

Ezri felt a lump rise in her throat. All the fighting she and Julian had endured the past few days seemed so far away now. "Julian, I-."

"Shh." Julian reached out to touch Ezri's face, but stopped himself. "Get some rest. I'll let you know if anything changes."

Ezri wanted to stay awake, but her eyes were already starting to close. The last thing she saw before surrendering to blackness was Julian's eyes, and the pain and fear that filled them.

* * *

Julian watched as Ezri slipped back into unconsciousness. It broke his heart to watch her suffer and he wanted to comfort her, but he was unsure as to how she would react. The last time they spoke, she told him to leave her alone, and he had to honor that request no matter how much pain it caused him. Julian heard the doors to sickbay open, and when he looked up Sisko was standing there. Julian moved around Ezri's bed and approached him. "Captain?"

Sisko glanced at Ezri's inert form. "How is she, Doctor?"

"I've managed to stabilize her for now, but unless we can treat the symbiant's injuries, she'll die."

"Do you have any idea on how to treat it?"

Julian let out a sigh. "I don't know enough about the symbiant's physiology to treat it myself. I could try to remove it and give it the same treatment I gave Lieutenant Mahoney, but I'm not sure how effective it will be. There is also the fact that both Ezri and Dax are so weak that they would not be able to survive without each other for long. I wouldn't be able to guarantee their survival."

Sisko walked over to where his friend was lying. "Is there anyone who can help her?"

"I've sent a message to the Trill homeworld. They're sending some of their own doctors to help, but they won't get here for another three days."

"Can Ezri last that long?"

"I'll make sure she does."

Sisko gave Ezri one last look before turning to leave. "Keep me informed." He paused on his way out and placed a reassuring hand on Julian's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Julian."

Julian continued to stare at Ezri as Sisko left. Finally, he tore his gaze from her. "Nurse Richter, let me know if anything changes." He walked over to his desk and sat down, staring at the monitors above him. He might as well try to get some work done. However, he quickly found that he was unable to concentrate. Every time he tried to focus, Ezri's face moved to the front of his mind. He couldn't bear to lose her, not like this. Julian buried his face in his hands. Ezri had to survive; she just had to. If she died, Julian had no idea how he would be able to live without her.

* * *

Aria was bored. She had only been off-duty for a day, and she already had run out of things to do. She had never been one for sitting around and doing nothing, but Bashir had forbid her from going back to work. So she was forced to sit in Quark's and watch the rest of the world go by. That, and try to fight off Quark. The Ferengi bartender had approached her twice already trying to sell her various foods and drink while attempting to flirt with her. At first, she found it amusing, but now he was starting to annoy her. Aria sipped at the Saurian brandy she had been nursing, hoping that it would help her relax, but Quark's sudden appearance ruined any chance of that.

Quark slid into the empty seat across from her. "A pretty lady like you shouldn't be drinking alone."

"Go away, Quark."

The persistent Ferengi ignored her. "I was just telling Morn over there that your eyes are like the stars; so distant and cold, yet they sparkle like latinum. They're just as beautiful, too."

Aria shook her head in disgust. "Is that really the best you could come up with?"

"You certainly have a lot of spirit. I like that in a woman. Tell you what; why not let me treat you to one of my special holosuite programs. You'll find I can be much more creative given the proper… incentive."

Aria set her glass down. This had gone far enough. She smiled sweetly. "Quark?"

He leaned forward, baring his pointed teeth in what he thought was a winning smile. "Yes?"

"If you don't back off right now, I'll break every bone in those hideous ears of yours." Quark's confident grin immediately turned to shock and a bit of fear, much to Aria's delight. She stood up, still smiling. "Have a nice day."

_Well, that was fun_. Aria thought cheerfully as she left Quark's. Unfortunately, torturing Quark could only amuse her for so long. She wandered aimlessly through the Promenade until she realized her feet had led her to the security office. Odo was the only one in there, so she decided it wouldn't hurt to drop by. The Constable didn't even look up as Aria entered, but remarked in a dry tone, "You're supposed to be off-duty, Lieutenant."

Aria shrugged. "So long as I'm not interrogating or arresting anyone I'm allowed to be here." Odo let out a snort of disbelief but did not insist that she leave. Aria glanced toward the holding cells. "Did you learn anything from the Jem'Hadar?"

"Why are you so interested?"

"In case you forgot, Constable, that creature shot me. I want to know why."

"I remember you were injured, Lieutenant, along with Counselor Dax. How is she, by the way?"

Aria stiffened. "I don't know. You'll have to ask Doctor Bashir."

"I already did." Odo stared up at Aria with those unfathomable eyes of his. "She's dying, Lieutenant. Apparently her injuries were far worse than yours."

"And you think that it's my fault." Aria whispered.

"You didn't exactly follow Starfleet protocol when you engaged the Jem'Hadar."

"Like you always obey protocol." Aria placed both hands on the desk. "I read your file. You don't give a damn what Starfleet or the Bajoran Provisional Government thinks so long as you're able to do your job the way you want to."

Odo stood up. "Not at the risk of others!"

"Who are you to judge me? You don't know me! I didn't force Counselor Dax to come with me; it was her choice. She did her duty as a Starfleet officer, just as I try to do mine every day. I do whatever it takes it get the job done, Constable. If I have to sacrifice one life to save the many, then I will!"

"Even if it's your own life?"

"Absolutely."

Odo and Aria stared each other down for several moments. Odo was the first to speak. "Starfleet has claimed responsibility for the Jem'Hadar. They'll be picking him up tomorrow. Until then, the only thing we're cleared to do is hold him."

Aria blinked. She hadn't expected Odo to share information with her. "Does that mean you weren't able to interrogate him?" She managed to ask.

"I was able to get a few things out of him before the orders arrived."

"What did you find out?"

"Not much, but I did learn one thing: he's not alone."

Aria swallowed. "How many others?"

"He didn't say, but he claims that there are no Vorta or any Founders with them."

"We found Ketracel White at the base in the nebula. Could they have found a way to produce it themselves?"

"It would explain why the quality was so poor. The Jem'Hadar in there is so weak he can barely stand. He's no threat to anyone."

"Maybe not right now, but what if they find a way to perfect the formula? We could have another war on our hands!"

"Then we better make sure that they don't. I suggest you leave now, Lieutenant. I doubt Doctor Bashir will buy your excuse that you're not officially conducting security business if he catches you in here."

Aria couldn't believe Odo would try to throw her out after what he just told her, but then she realized something; he was trying to keep her out of trouble. "Alright, then, I'm leaving. And Constable? Thank you." Odo nodded in acknowledgement then sat back down and continued with his work.

Aria strolled out of security, the doors hissing shut behind her. She had barely gone a few meters when she stopped and turned back to face the office. She allowed herself a small smile. Somehow, without even meaning to, she had made her first friend on Deep Space 9.

* * *

**Well, what'd ya know? Aria does have a heart! And poor Julian's heart is breaking. I'm so mean to him; I don't know what's wrong with me. If you wanna find out what happens to Ezri sooner, make sure you review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It had been three days since Ezri was injured, and Julian had not left sickbay even for a moment. He may not be allowed to treat her, but he refused to let her suffer on her own. She spent most of her time sleeping, but was constantly plagued by nightmares. Doctor Alenis, Julian's Bajoran counterpart, made sure that she wasn't in pain, but that was all they could for her for the time being. Miles had stopped by a few times to try to cheer Julian up, but it was no use. If the doctors from Trill didn't arrive soon, Ezri would die. There was nothing anyone could say to make Julian forget that chilling fact.

Julian was dozing in his chair when Ezri cried out. Forgetting his exhaustion, he immediately went to her. Everyone else had left for the night, so it was only himself and Ezri in sickbay. Ezri was still asleep, but was tossing her head from side to side, moaning. Julian placed a hand on the side of her face, trying to calm her. Her normally cool skin was warm; she'd developed a fever. "Ezri. Ezri, it's all right. You're safe."

Her eyes fluttered open. "Julian?"

Julian smiled the most reassuring smile he could manage. "I'm right here. The doctors from Trill should be here soon; you're going to be fine."

"Julian," she whispered, her eyes already closing. "I'm sorry."

Julian swallowed hard. "You've got nothing to be sorry for." He murmured, but Ezri was asleep once more. He continued to speak to her, even though he wasn't sure she would be able to hear. "I'm the one who messed up, who hurt you." He took her hand into his. "I never once considered you a replacement for Jadzia, and I am so sorry that I made you think that you were. She was one of my dearest friends and I miss her, but that's not why I love you. I fell in love with a woman who came to this station not who she was but was brave enough to stay and make a life for herself. I fell in love with a woman who can make anyone feel better just by smiling at her, and who insists on cleaning her quarters every morning before going to work. I love her, and I don't know what I would do without her." Julian pressed Ezri's hand to his lips. "Don't leave me, Ezri. I need you; I love you more than I thought was possible. Stay with me, please."

"Ops to Doctor Bashir."

Julian cleared his throat before answering. "Bashir here."

"Doctor, the transport carrying Doctor Nadil and Doctor Lor was just cleared for docking."

"Send them to sickbay as soon as they're on the station."

"Yes, Doctor."

Julian hit his commbadge. "Bashir to Alenis."

A sleepy voice answered him. "Yes?"

"Dilar, the doctors from Trill have just arrived."

"I'll be right there."

Julian glanced back down at Ezri, hope rising in his chest for the first time in days. The fight for the life of Ezri Dax had finally begun.

* * *

Doctor Nadil scanned Ezri, shaking her head. "Her isoboromine levels are down to 43%. We'll have to start immediately if we want to save Dax."

"And Ezri." Julian reminded them.

"Of course we'll do our best to save her as well, but our priority is the symbiant."

Julian couldn't believe he what he just heard. Of course, he should have expected this. He remembered when Joran's memories emerged in Jadzia for the first time and how the Symbiosis Committee had been prepared to sacrifice her in order to keep their secret. "I didn't ask you here just to save Dax, but Ezri as well. You have to save them both!"

"The symbiant comes first, Doctor Bashir." Doctor Lor said. Out of the two Trill doctors, he was the only one that was Joined. "Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice the host in order to guarantee the safety of the symbiant. Ezri would tell you the same thing if she was able."

Julian clenched his fists in frustration. "But she is not able to. We haven't been able to revive her since you got here, and we never will unless you help her!"

Doctor Alenis spoke up. "It may be your way, Doctor Lor, but it is not ours. It is our duty to save both Ezri and Dax. We need your help, but we can only accept it unless you agree to do whatever it takes to keep them both alive."

Nadil looked livid, but Lor glanced from Julian to Alenis, his expression thoughtful. Finally, he nodded. "Very well. We'll do what we can."

"Doctor-!"

"If the operation is a success, Dax will still need a host, Karna. I already have a symbiant, and you cannot be joined. We need Ezri to ensure Dax's survival. Besides, I am a doctor. It is my duty to save lives, not end them." He turned to Julian, who was surprised by his sudden concession. "Doctor Nadil and I will repair the damage done to Dax. I will need you and Doctor Alenis to make sure it has a host that I can return it to."

"Of course."

"Then I suggest we get started, Doctor. We don't have much time."

* * *

Julian had not seen Dax since he had to remove it from Jadzia almost a year ago, and its current appearance horrified him. The normally gray flesh had turned a sickly yellow, and parts of it had been severely burned. Immediately after removing it from Ezri, Nadil and Lor placed it into a bath of some unfamiliar substance they had brought with them from Trill. The substance, they explained, had been taken from the pools of Mak'ala and would help the symbiant recover faster.

As they worked, Julian redirected his attention back to Ezri. She had grown even paler upon the removal of the symbiant, but her vitals were stable for now. Julian and Alenis shared a look. If Ezri was going to make it, Lor and Nadil would have to work fast.

The hours ticked by slowly. Outside, people were starting to appear on the Promenade. Julian glanced anxiously at the monitors. "She's getting worse. How much longer?"

Nadil pursed her lips. "Should be a few more hours. The damage was more extensive than we initially thought."

Suddenly, the monitors began beeping louder and faster. "Her blood pressure just dropped by 10%!" Alenis cried. He seized a hypospray and pressed it to Ezri's neck.

Julian turned to Lor, desperate. "If Ezri and Dax aren't Joined soon, she'll die!"

"Dax injuries aren't fully healed yet!" Nadil snapped. "If we place it back inside Ezri now, we risk losing them both!"

Lor examined Dax. "Dax should be strong enough to finish recovering on its own. It may be safe to re-Join it with Ezri."

"Doctor, I must protest!"

"I said I would keep them both alive, Karna. I intend to keep my word." Lor gently lifted Dax out of the bath. "Doctor Bashir, if you'll assist me."

Together, Julian and Lor returned Dax to Ezri's stomach pocket. Alenis began to seal the wound as Julian checked the monitors. Much to his disappointment, they showed little change. "We were too late."

"We must give them time, Doctor." Lor said reassuringly. "Once Dax grows stronger, I'm sure Ezri will improve." He moved off to gather his equipment.

Julian gave the monitors one last glance. Lor was right; all they could do now was wait. Wait and hope.

* * *

**I'm considering changing my screen name to The Queen of Cliffies. I think it would suit me nicely. Hope you guys can survive the wait for the next chapter! Who knows if Ezri will. (Insert evil giggle here)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ezri breathed in deeply and smiled. Even though it was only a holographic representation, Anari Beach always helped her to relax. It had been five days since her operation and this was the first time she had been let out of sickbay. Doctor Alenis insisted that she take the next few days off as well, but she no longer had to remain under constant supervision. So she came here to think about everything that had happened the past week.

Ezri had never been that close to death before. She could remember how her previous hosts had felt when they were dying, but to experience it for herself was something else entirely. What really surprised her, though, was that she had been given a chance to live. She knew from Torias' death that if a host was too badly injured they would be sacrificed to save the symbiant, but she was alive and well. Doctor Lor explained to her before he and Doctor Nadil had left for Trill that Dax had been re-Joined to her in order to save her life, even though its injuries had not fully healed. When Ezri asked why, he told her that he gave Doctor Bashir his word that he would save Ezri and Dax.

Julian. Ezri let out a sigh and rested her chin on her knees. He had kept his distance from her while she was in sickbay, leaving Doctor Alenis to take care of her. Ezri didn't know why he acted that way; he stayed by her side constantly while they waited for the doctors from Trill to arrive, but once she was out of danger he stayed away. Did he think that she was still angry with him? Right now, Ezri couldn't be mad at him even if she wanted to. She remembered how much he had suffered while she lay in sickbay, and he had been willing to defy the most important rule for Joined Trills in order to save her life. No matter what his faults, she loved him. Still, they needed to talk about what had happened before she had been injured. It wasn't something they could just shove aside and wait for it to solve itself.

Ezri heard the holosuite doors open behind her, and when she turned to see who it was, she was surprised to see Julian standing there. It was as if she had summoned him with her thoughts. "Is it alright if I join you?" he asked.

"Of course. Come sit down."

Julian sat down in the sand next to Ezri. For a few moments, they sat in silence, watching the purple waves. Finally, Julian spoke. "I've never seen this program before."

Ezri smiled. "It's Anari Beach. My aunt and uncle used to take me and my brothers here whenever we visited Trill. Coming here always helps me relax."

Julian nodded, his gaze fixed on the shoreline. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. I don't see why I can't go back to work now."

"It's just to make sure you and Dax are completely out of danger."

"Doctor Lor told me what you did." Ezri said softly. "How you made sure I would survive along with Dax."

Julian ran his hand through the sand, still refusing to look at her. "I never liked that whole 'sacrifice the host to save the symbiant' rule."

"I know. You used to complain about it to Jadzia."

Silence fell again. Finally, Julian turned to face Ezri. His serious expression made his usually youthful face seem so much older. "Ezri, I am so sorry I called you Jadzia. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know. I heard what you said in sickbay."

"You did?"

Ezri smiled. "It was very sweet." She took his hand. "I'm sorry, too."

"What do you have to be sorry about?"

"For not giving you a chance to explain." She hesitated, then continued. "People here still treat me like Jadzia, or expect me to be like her. They don't mean to, but it happens. Quark's always trying to get me to play Tongo, and Worf…"

Julian interrupted. "I thought you two made up."

"We did, but it's still hard for him to be around me sometimes. You're one of the few people who saw me as Ezri, and… and I was afraid that you only saw Jadzia after all."

Julian put his arm around her. "Never. Do you remember the day we first met? You thought I came over to flirt with you."

Ezri grinned. "You were."

"That's your opinion. The point is I didn't plan to try to have a relationship with you. All I wanted was to be your friend, just like I was with Jadzia. When I fell in love with you, it was something I never expected to happen. I don't love you because you carry Jadzia's memories, but because you're Ezri." He leaned down and kissed her.

Ezri hadn't realized how much she missed his touch, and she kissed him back eagerly. She was disappointed when he pulled away. "What it is?"

Julian was staring at her, a strange expression on his face. "Marry me?"

Ezri stared at him, not sure if she heard right. "What did you say?"

"I just asked you to marry me."

"Are you serious?"

"I've never been more serious about anything in my entire life. Will you?"

Ezri's mind was reeling. She hadn't expected this. Joined Trills didn't usually get involved in serious relationships, and she was still trying to figure her life out. Was it right for her to marry Julian? Was she comfortable with sharing all her lives with someone else? Perhaps it would be smarter to give their relationship more time to grow before they considered marriage. But love wasn't about being smart. It was about spending time with that person who made you feel special, and Julian certainly made Ezri feel that way. She thought about everything they had been through together, and how she wanted to create many more memories with him. Ezri flung her arms around Julian, knocking him backwards into the sand. "Of course I will!"

Julian grinned up at Ezri and pulled her down for a kiss. This time Ezri was the one who pulled away. "I do have one question, though."

"And what would that be?"

"Don't humans have a tradition of giving the woman a ring when they propose?"

Julian laughed. "I'll get right on that." He ran his fingers through her hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Ezri leaned down and kissed Julian passionately. They held each other, with no intention of letting the other go any time soon.

* * *

**Well, I think that was worth all the cliffies I made you guys suffer through. Don't worry, this story isn't done yet. Ezri and Julian still have plenty of adventures left before they reach the altar. Review and I'll give you sand. Not just any sand, I might add. Sand from the holographic beach where Julian asked Ezri to marry him. It could one day be a collectors item! Oh gawd, I sound like a Ferengi.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Ezri and Worf sat at their usual table on the upper level of Quark's. Worf's gaze was fixed on his untouched glass of prune juice, his expression sullen. Ezri watched him, concerned. "Please say something."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. That you're happy for me?"

"I am, but I am also confused. I thought you and Doctor Bashir were fighting."

Ezri shrugged. "We made up."

"That much is obvious."

"Worf," Ezri took his hand. "What you think means a lot to me. If you're upset that I'm marrying Julian, I want you to tell me."

"I am not upset." Worf reassured her. "I wish you and Doctor Bashir nothing but happiness. However, it will take some getting used to."

"Of course, I understand." Ezri stood up. "I got to go. I'll see you later, okay?"

Almost immediately after Ezri left, Quark swooped in. "Prune juice not to your liking? How about trying a real drink for a change?"

"Go away."

"Hey, I'm just trying to be a good host." Quark glanced in the direction Ezri had left in. "What were you two talking about?"

"That is none of your concern."

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to be more friendly. I just wanted to know if Ezri's doing okay after her operation. Last time I saw her she seemed pretty down."

"Very well." Worf sighed. "Dax and Doctor Bashir are engaged."

"They're getting married?" When Worf nodded, Quark let out a miserable sigh. "Unbelievable. I just can't seem to catch a break. First Jadzia, now Ezri."

"What did you say?" Worf growled.

"Nothing, nothing! Uh, I left the bar unattended. Excuse me." Quark hurriedly backed away.

Worf let out a sigh. Being around Ezri still proved to be difficult, especially after she got involved with Doctor Bashir. She had moved on with her life, but he was still holding on to Jadzia. Perhaps it was time for him to move on as well. He would do his best to be happy for Ezri; he owed her that much.

* * *

Miles jumped off the lift as it slid into Ops. "Did you hear what happened?"

Kira glanced up from her work. "Are the replicators in the Habitat Ring down again?"

"No, nothing that bad. Julian and Ezri are getting married!"

"Really?" Kira beamed. "Oh, that's wonderful!"

"Yeah, I guess Ezri's accident made them realize how much they mean to each other." Miles leaned on the console in the center of Ops where Kira was working. "You know, I never thought Julian would actually settle down."

"I guess there's someone in the universe for everyone."

Miles snickered. "He has no idea what he's getting himself into. This should be fun."

Kira shook her head, smiling. "You have a cruel sense of humor, Chief."

"Hey, we should throw them a party tonight."

"Tonight?" Kira considered it. "That might work. Spread the word, will you?"

The lift clattered back into Ops, and Lieutenant Mahoney got off it. "Is Captain Sisko in his office?" she asked. "I want to give him my report on the Jem'Hadar incident."

"He's on subspace with Admiral Anderson." Kira explained. "I don't know how much longer he'll be."

Aria sighed, hitting her padd against her palm. "I guess I'll just have to wait then." She positioned herself so that Sisko's office was in her direct line of sight, then she just stood there, waiting."

Kira and Miles shared a look. Kira jerked her head in Aria's direction, but Miles didn't understand what she wanted him to do. With an exasperated sigh, Kira turned to Aria. "Lieutenant, we're having a party this evening. You're welcome to come if you like."

"What's the occasion, Colonel?"

Kira ignored the Chief's warning glance. "Doctor Bashir and Counselor Dax got engaged last night. We were going to throw them a party to celebrate."

Aria made a face. "I don't know, Colonel. I don't know either of them very well."

"Well, this is a great opportunity for you to get to know them better, along with some of the other officers here."

Aria looked uncomfortable. "I don't know."

"I think you should go, Lieutenant." A deep, rich voice interrupted them. It was Thirishar ch'Thane, the Andorian science officer. He dipped his antennae in apology. "Forgive me, I did not mean to be rude, but Lieutenant Nog told me about the parties the senior officers throw. They seem to be very entertaining."

Kira smiled. "Well, consider yourself invited. If you see Ensign Tenmei, be sure to bring her along, too." She redirected her attention back to Aria. "So, what do you say, Lieutenant?"

Aria sighed. "I'll stop by if I have time." At that moment, Sisko stepped out of his office. "Captain, I have that report you asked for." She and Sisko went back into his office.

Once the doors had closed, Miles turned to Kira. "You know Julian doesn't like Mahoney."

"I know. Ezri's been having some difficulties with her, too."

"Then why-?"

"Mahoney's here to stay, Chief, and we might as well get used to it. Sure, she may not be the easiest person to get along with, but we have to try. It's important that we get along with each other if we want to keep this station running efficiently. Who knows; you may get to know her at the party and find out that she's a wonderful person."

Miles shook his head in disbelief. "If you say so, Colonel, but mark my words; that girl's nothing but trouble, and sooner or later, she's gonna prove it."

* * *

Aria tried her best, but she wasn't able to come up with a reason not to go to the party. So now, she was standing in a corner, watching her fellow officers socializing and resisting the urge to throw something. Odo cut through the throngs of people and made his way over to her. "A stormy face brings worse things than rain, Lieutenant."

"What?"

"It's an old Bajoran saying. It means that misery can bring you a lot of trouble if you're not careful."

Aria scoffed. "You shouldn't quote Bajoran proverbs, Constable. They don't suit you."

"You know, I don't care much for parties either."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, to me they're just an excuse for you humanoids to get drunk and then make decisions that you'll regret later."

"Then why do you put up with them?"

"Because I learned that it's easier to work with people when you're on friendly terms with them. Something you may want to think about." Odo left Aria to consider what he said.

Meanwhile, Julian had just asked Miles to do him a special favor. "If you don't want to, it's fine." He was saying.

"No, I'd be honored."

"I just don't want you to feel obligated or anything."

"Julian, you don't have any other friends. Who else is going to be your best man?"

Julian shook his head, grinning. "You say the nicest things, Chief."

Ensign ch'Thane was listening in on their conversation. He turned to Nog, confused. "I do not understand, Lieutenant. You say that Doctor Bashir and Chief O'Brien are friends, yet I have heard them insult each other on more than one occasion. Why is that?"

"Don't call me Lieutenant, Thirishar; it's Nog. And they do that all the time; you'll get used to it."

The young scientists' antennae were twitching, showing his discomfort. "I doubt I will ever truly get used to all the aspects of human behavior. And if you insist on me calling you Nog, then you must call me Shar."

Prynn Tenmei grinned. "I was hoping you had some kind of nickname. No offense, but Thirishar's a bit of a mouthful."

Shar glanced at the corner where Aria was still lurking. "Do you think we should go talk to her?"

Prynn made a face. "You can try, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I sat next to her on the transport to the station, and she completely ignored me. She just doesn't like people."

"Still, it does not seem right to leave her all by herself." Shar drowned the last of his drink. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Good luck!" Prynn called after him.

Aria's gray eyes narrowed as Shar approached her. "Are you gonna try to convince me to socialize, too?"

Shar blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Forget it. What do you want?"

"I thought you might want some company." He gestured to Prynn and Nog. "You are welcome to join us."

Aria made a face. "That's Quark's nephew, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"If he's anything like his uncle, I'd rather stay over here."

"Have you had trouble with Quark?"

"He's a pig."

"I assure you, Lieutenant Nog is nothing like that. If you got to know him-."

"I'm not interested in getting to know anyone!" Aria snapped. People turned around to see what the commotion was, and she lowered her voice. "I just want this party to be over so I can get some sleep."

"No one is preventing you from leaving, Lieutenant. Perhaps you want to be here more than you realize."

Aria rolled her eyes and moved away from Shar, muttering under her breath, "Just what this place needs, another Counselor."

Sisko and Ezri had been watching Aria and Shar. Sisko frowned. "Seems like our new security officer is determined to make things difficult."

"She just needs time, Ben. She'll warm up to us eventually."

"Well, enough about Mahoney." Sisko smiled down at Ezri. "I'm proud of you, Dax."

"All I did was get engaged."

"It's not just that. Think about how much you've grown since you came here. You've made a new life for yourself, and it's your life, not the lives of the past hosts. Jadzia would be proud of you, too."

Ezri smiled. "I hope so." At that moment, Kasidy arrived, and Sisko excused himself to go greet her.

Julian appeared next to Ezri. "Enjoying yourself?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

"You guess? You don't think our engagement deserves some kind of celebration?"

"I mean, this is nice and all, but," Ezri smirked, "I just prefer our method of celebration."

"Really? I'll have to remember that." Julian's arms encircled Ezri's waist and pulled her closer to him.

Ezri blushed and looked down. "People are watching."

"Let them." Julian brushed his lips against Ezri's.

The chiming of silver on crystal interrupted them. Sisko raised his glass of champagne in the air, calling, "A toast!" He gestured to Ezri and Julian. "May your lives together be as joyful and exciting as possible. Being Starfleet officers, that shouldn't be too difficult." Everyone laughed as he continued. "Life enjoys throwing challenges at us, but it's much easier when you have someone there beside you. Good luck to both of you."

* * *

**This was a hard chapter for me to write; I don't always like the mushy love stuff if there isn't any drama. Still, I felt the story needed it. I hope you liked it. Keep a close eye on Shar; you're going to be seeing more of him. Review for a glass of prune juice.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Aria groaned as she pressed her fingers to her temples. She should have known that it was a bad idea to drink all that champagne at the party last night, but lately drinking was the only way she could truly relax. Aria sipped at the tonic she had ordered from the Replimat's replicator to help her headache and grimaced at the taste. What was this station doing to her? She never used to drink her problems away. Maybe she should get out of here while she still had the chance.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aria saw Doctor Bashir and Counselor Dax step out of the turbolift and onto the Promenade. They were holding hands and giggling about something. Aria rolled her eyes. They could at least try to act more professional while they were in public. Bashir kissed Dax good-bye outside the Infirmary before going inside. Dax noticed Aria sitting by herself, and after a moment's hesitation, moved to join her. "Good morning." She chirped as she sat across from her.

"Counselor."

If Ezri was taken aback by Aria's cold response, she didn't show it. "I haven't gotten much of a chance to talk to you since that incident on the _Defiant_. I hope you're not in any trouble."

"Why would I be? You're okay, I'm okay, and we caught a Jem'Hadar. Not a bad day's work."

"I guess." Ezri changed the subject. "Did you have fun at the party last night?"

"Eh, parties aren't really my thing."

"Well, what do you like to do for fun?"

Aria smiled thinly. "After the party, I broke into Odo's office and downloaded everyone's psychological profile. Makes for some interesting reading."

Ezri stared at her, eyes wide. "You're joking, right?"

Aria took another sip of her tonic, watching Ezri over the rim of her glass. "You tell me."

Aria's commbadge chirped. "Sisko to Mahoney."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Report to my office immediately."

"I'll be right there, sir." Aria stood up and nodded to Ezri. "A pleasure as always, Counselor."

Ezri waited until Aria was out of sight, then rushed to Odo's office to make sure that no one broke in the night before. One could never be too careful.

* * *

Sisko's face was grim as Aria entered his office. "Have a seat, Lieutenant." Aria sat down slowly, wondering what she could have possibly done this time. Once she was seated, Sisko continued. "Are you familiar with Admiral Owen Paris?"

"Yes, I've heard of him, sir."

"He just contacted me over subspace. A few days ago, an EMH Mark I appeared on a Starfleet vessel, supposedly out of nowhere."

Aria interrupted. "That's very interesting, sir, but what does it have to do with me?"

"It's what the EMH had to say. As you know, Starfleet recalled the Mark I, but there was one ship that was unable to comply with the order. This EMH came from _Voyager_."

Aria froze. "That's… that's not possible. _Voyager _was lost years ago."

"When _Voyager _departed on its mission to locate a Maquis ship, they were pulled into the Delta Quadrant by an alien entity. They've been there ever since, trying to find a way back home. They managed to use some alien technology to send their EMH here to let us know that they're still alive."

Aria didn't say anything. Sisko continued in a softer tone, "The EMH gave us the crew manifest so we could inform their families. I thought you might want to know that an Ensign Areli Mahoney was listed there." When Aria remained silent, Sisko asked, "Are you alright, Lieutenant?"

Aria gave herself a little shake. "I'm fine, sir."

"Starfleet is preparing a data stream containing letters to send to _Voyager_'_s _crew. You might want to consider writing one."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Aria rose stiffly and marched out of the office. She didn't know where her feet were leading her and she didn't really care. All she wanted was to get as far away from anything living as possible.

* * *

"Just give them a try." Nog pleaded.

Shar prodded the tube grubs on the plate in front of him and grimaced in disgust. "They're squirming."

"That's because they're fresh! Aren't you supposed to be a scientist? Think of it as an experiment."

"Very well." Screwing up his eyes, Shar placed on of the grubs on his tongue. He chewed twice, then spat it out. "How can anyone enjoy this?"

Nog nodded solemnly. "I know, I don't like raw tube grubs much either. Chilled ones are better." Quark stormed past their table, muttering under his breath. "What's wrong, Uncle?"

"That Lieutenant Mahoney! I've gone out of my way to make her feel welcome, and how does she repay me? Nothing but rudeness and hostility!"

"She said you were a pig." Shar added.

Quark ignored him. "She came in about an hour ago wanting to run one of those Klingon training programs Martok left behind. When I went up there to tell her that her time was up about five minutes ago, she growled at me! I didn't even know humans could growl. I'm going to get Odo; maybe he can deal with her."

"Wait!" Shar stood up. "Let me try to talk to her. Maybe I can convince her to leave."

Nog gave them an incredulous glance. "You tried talking to her last night and it didn't work. What makes you think you'll have better luck this time?"

Shar shrugged. "It couldn't hurt to try."

Quark interrupted. "Talking takes too long. I want her out of my holosuites now!"

Shar had heard stories about Quark, so he had a good idea on how to make him change his mind. "I've noticed you have a large variety of customers." He said.

Quark nodded slowly. "That's right. Everyone's welcomed at Quark's."

"Well, what would your more select customers think if you called for security every time you ran into trouble?"

Nog snickered as Quark considered what Shar said. Finally, Quark relented. "All right, go have your talk, but every minute you keep that holosuite running is going on your tab!"

* * *

When Shar entered the holosuite, he nearly tripped over the bodies that were strewn across the floor. In the center of a large cave, Aria was fighting a Jem'Hadar soldier. Shar couldn't help but be impressed by her skill. Neither side carried a rifle; they fought in hand-to-hand combat with the Jem'Hadar wielding a _kar_'_takin_, and Aria with a Klingon _d_'_k tahg _in each hand. She weaved her way around her opponent, hacking and slashing at him. Her speed was the only thing that saved her as the Jem'Hadar swung his blade at her head. Shar noticed that her cheek was bleeding; she had turned the safety protocols off. With an enraged yell, Aria launched herself at her enemy, plunging her blades into his chest. As he fell to the ground, Aria whirled around to face Shar, crouching in a fighting stance. "What do you want?" She snarled.

Shar now knew why Quark had wanted to get Odo rather than deal with Aria himself. Her hair was loose around her face, and her eyes shone with a savagery that chilled Shar's blood. He stepped forward slowly and carefully. "Quark sent me to get you."

Aria let out a mirthless snort. "Too afraid to come up here himself, is he?" She tossed one of her knives to Shar, who caught it with ease. She nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Now, fight me."

Shar stared at her. "What?"

"I'm sick of fighting holograms, and Andorians are renowned fighters. I could use the challenge."

Shar lowered the _d_'_k tahg _he held. "You are my superior officer. To attack you-."

Aria hurtled toward him. Seizing the hand that held the knife, she twisted it so the blade was at her throat. "I said, fight me!"

"I will not." Aria let out a growl of frustration and stormed away from him. Shar called after her, "Are you all right?"

"Never better." She snapped. "Now, get out."

"If I leave, Quark will get Odo."

"Let him!"

"But you'll get in trouble. Is a few extra minutes in a holosuite worth it?"

"Do I look like I care if Odo has to arrest me?" Aria plunged her knife into the rocky wall.

Shar watched her. "Something's wrong, isn't it? Tell me, I'd like to help."

Aria glared at him, and for a moment, Shar expected her to attack him. Instead, she asked, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No. Do you?"

She nodded. "I have a twin sister, Areli. When we were younger, we used to do everything together. She was my best friend."

Shar noticed the use of the past tense. "Was?"

"Areli was assigned to _Voyager _after we graduated from the Academy. She was so excited; _Voyager _was supposed to be one of the most advanced ships in the Federation. A lot of good it did them; it disappeared on its first mission."

"I'm so sorry."

"I don't want your sympathy! I didn't even get time to grieve; the Dominion invaded a few months later. I fought, I got promoted, and I saw so many people die that Areli's death didn't seem so important any more. I stopped caring that my sister was dead!" Aria's eyes were glistening as she went on. "And now Sisko tells me that _Voyager_'_s _stuck in the Delta Quadrant and Areli's been alive this whole time."

"Really? Well, that good news."

"Is it?" Aria asked bitterly. "Starfleet wants me to write her a letter, and what am I supposed to say? That the Federation was almost destroyed and that our father is dead? That her sister turned into a monster? That I gave up on her?"

"I'm sure you are not the only one who thought they were dead." Shar said gently. "And you are not a monster."

"You weren't there during the War; you didn't see what I did."

"Neither did Areli. What happened during the War was in the past, and now you have a chance to start over."

"I don't know if I can." Aria whispered.

"It cannot hurt to try."

Aria studied Shar, her expression thoughtful. "You're not like most Andorians, are you?"

"In what way?"

"Well, if I challenged any other Andorian to a duel they would have accepted, not have a talk about my feelings."

"Sometimes being different is not a bad thing." Shar turned to leave, but stopped, turning back to Aria. "Lieutenant Nog and I have lunch together on Mondays and Thursdays. You are welcome to join us whenever you like."

A smile crept across Aria's face. "I may take you up on that."

* * *

Later that evening, Aria went over the letter she planned to send to Areli.

_Areli,_

_I have to admit, when I heard you were alive, I didn't know what to think. I've gotten so used to being an only child that I'm sure how to be a sister again. But for you, I'm willing to try. So much has happened since you've been gone, especially for me. The Federation had to go to war against a force from the Gamma Quadrant, and I became a soldier. I bet Starfleet let your Captain know all the details, so you probably know that Dad's dead. If you don't, then I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I saw him die, Areli, and I'll never forget it. The worst part of it was that you weren't there, that you couldn't help me through it. But now that I know you're out there, the universe doesn't seem so dark. I had to do some things I regret, but I'm still your sister, and I promise that will never change. I don't have much else to say; you know I've never been good at this type of stuff. Besides, I'm sure Mom will fill about a dozen padds with everything you've missed. Come home soon, Areli. I'll be waiting for you._

_Your sister,_

_Aria_

* * *

**Aria's walls are finally starting to come down! I hope this chapter helped you to understand her better. We're gonna fast forward in time in the next chapter, and Julian will have to confront the ghosts of his past if he still wants to marry Ezri. Spoilers; sometimes they're worse than cliffies. Be sure to review and subscribe!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Julian and Ezri were relaxing in Julian's quarters, Ezri's head resting on Julian's thigh. Both had a project they were working on. Julian was reading about how genetic resequencing could prevent further outbreaks of Horan Syndrome on Bajor, and Ezri was trying to put together the guest list for their wedding.

As Ezri thumbed through the names she had already, the light caught the ring Julian gave her a few days after he asked her to marry him. The stone was a pale blue, oval cut, with two small diamonds set on either side. Even after wearing it for almost a month, the sight of it still made Ezri smile. Turning back to the list, Ezri asked Julian, "Are you sure there isn't anyone else you want to come?"

Julian didn't look up from his reading. "Nah, I think I'm good."

"We still need to invite Garak."

Julian snorted. "Do you really think Garak would come back to DS9 just for our wedding?"

Giggling, Ezri continued suggesting people. "Do you think we should ask Doctor Loews if Jack, Lauren, and Patrick can come?"

"You've got to be joking."

"What's wrong with inviting them? I'm sure they'd love it."

"Maybe, but I shudder to think how they would act in a crowd. Probably best to leave them out of this."

"They're not gonna like that." Ezri warned.

"I won't tell them if you don't."

"Well, what about Sarina? She doesn't have issues like the others; she should be fine."

Julian shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Really? Why not?" Ezri asked, amused.

"I… we haven't spoken in a while, that's all. It might be strange if I contact her out of nowhere."

Ezri smirked. He couldn't fool her. "So it has nothing to do with the fact that she broke your heart and you have no idea how to talk to her without being awkward."

"That's right."

"Coward." Ezri went over the list one more time. Everything seemed to be in order, but there was something she had been meaning to talk to Julian about. Tilting her head back so that she could watch his face, she asked, "Did you hear that the Federation's setting up a colony in the Gamma Quadrant?"

Julian had gone back to his reading; he wasn't really paying attention. "Really?"

"Yeah, all the news services are talking about it. Colonists are supposed to be coming to the station in a few days so they can go through the wormhole. I saw the list; there's a lot of them." Ezri felt Julian tense up; he had probably figured out where this conversation was going. "Do you know any of the colonists?"

"I didn't look at the list. Do you?"

"No, but there's this one couple that Jadzia met a few years ago. You know them pretty well, actually."

"Who are they?"

"I think you know exactly who I'm talking about." Ezri sat up and turned so she was facing Julian. "What made your parents decide to go live in the Gamma Quadrant?"

Julian put his padd down with a sigh. "Dad's been trying to find a new project ever since he got out of jail. He heard about the colonization and thought it was a brilliant idea. I guess the Gamma Quadrant is the perfect place for him to continue his legacy."

Ezri winced at the sarcasm in Julian's voice. Clearly, his relationship with his parents hadn't improved much. "You can't blame him for wanting a fresh start." She said.

"But the Gamma Quadrant? They'll be lucky not to get themselves killed! I talked to them a few months ago, not long after they decided to move there, and they were acting like the Jem'Hadar don't even exist."

"There's a treaty, Julian. I'm sure the Dominion won't-." Ezri paused. "Wait, you haven't spoken to them for three months?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Do they know we're engaged?"

"Well…"

"Julian!" Ezri hit him with her padd. "How could you not tell your parents that you're getting married?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't think it would be that big of a deal."

"Well, it is! I told my mother weeks ago."

"By the way, how'd that go?"

"Don't change the subject! I thought you were going to make an effort to get along with your family."

"Look, I tried, okay? I called Dad while he was in jail, but he can be so damn irritating!" Julian stood up and starting pacing. "He would sit there with a smug look on his face, asking me if I was making good use of my freedom, like he was enjoying the fact the he's the reason I'm allowed to continue serving in Starfleet. I mean, I'm grateful for what he did, but he doesn't have to throw it in my face every time we talk to each other."

Ezri watched Julian, her blue eyes concerned. "He just wants to feel important, Julian. The two of you have been fighting for so long that he isn't used to you needing his help. He probably does enjoy it."

"Well, does he realize that whenever he acts like that it just makes me want to spend even less time with him?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should tell him when he gets here." Ezri got up from the couch and went to Julian, wrapping her arms around him. "Whatever their faults, your parents do love you. They certainly proved that the last time they were here. Don't shut them out of your life."

Julian sighed and rested his forehead against Ezri's. "You know that once they find out I'm getting married and that I didn't tell them, all hell's gonna break loose."

"And you are going to apologize for being a selfish idiot and be on your best behavior as long as they're here."

'Do I have to?"

"If you don't, you'll be sleeping by yourself until the wedding."

Julian winced in mock horror. "I hope you don't treat your patients like this."

"You mean do I threaten to take away sex?" Ezri laughed as Julian rolled his eyes. "Don't worry; I save that treatment for my most special patient."

"Thanks, I think."

Ezri gave Julian a reassuring smile. "Just relax. Your parents will be here for a day at most, and then they're off to the Gamma Quadrant. Everything's going to be fine."

* * *

A few days later, Julian was waiting for his parents' transport to dock at the airlock and wondering if it was too late for him to take a vacation. He knew that Ezri meant well when she convinced him to give his parents another chance, but she didn't seem to realize how deep his problems with his family really ran. True, things had improved a bit after the last time they saw each other, but they had a long way to go before they could achieve the closeness they had when Julian was a child.

The airlock doors rolled open, and people began spilling out into the hall. Julian assumed that they were also potential colonists for the Gamma Quadrant. He thought it was a mistake for the Federation to start setting up colonies in the Gamma Quadrant so soon after the Dominion War; they should at least wait a few more years before sending civilians to test the waters. He also couldn't believe the amount of people willing to ignore the danger and live right next door to the Dominion. Hopefully they wouldn't live to regret it.

"Jules!" Amsha Bashir waved at her son as she stepped out of the airlock, her husband Richard right behind her. Ignoring his annoyance at being called by his childhood name, Julian went up to them and gave them a welcoming, although slightly awkward, hug. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm fine, Mother. Did you have a good trip?"

"You wouldn't believe how crowded the transport was, Jules." Richard complained. "I swear they're making these ships smaller."

"Well, it's over now. Come on, I'll take you to your quarters."

Julian led his parents down the hall to the guest quarters, Amsha clinging to his arm. Richard glanced at his son, his tone slightly accusatory as he said, "So how have things been for you? You haven't called us for a long time."

"Richard!" Amsha scolded.

Julian ignored his father's attempt to start a fight. He promised Ezri that he would try to get along with his parents, and he intended to keep his word. "I've been helping to organize the Cardassian relief effort; it's kept me busy."

"How are things on Cardassia?" Amsha asked.

"Bad. The Dominion destroyed almost everything they had."

Richard snorted. "But the Federation showed them who was in charge in the end. I bet they won't even dare show their faces once we establish the colony."

"The Gamma Quadrant is still their home turf, Dad. If they decide to attack-."

"I'd like to see them try! We beat them once, and we can beat them again."

Julian couldn't believe his father's arrogance. Didn't he realize how many people had died during the Dominion War? The only they won was because Odo agreed to give the Founders the cure to the morphogenic virus, not because they had superior fighting power. If the Dominion decided to restart the War, then the Federation wouldn't stand a chance. By this time they had reached where Richard and Amsha would be staying, so Julian decided not to press the issue. "Look, I got to get back to the Infirmary, but I'll try to stop by later, okay?"

"Before you go, Jules, there's something I want to talk to you about." Amsha dragged Julian inside before he could protest. "On the way here, we sat next to this lovely young woman who was visiting her family on Bajor. We told her all about you, and she seemed interested in meeting you. Maybe you could invite her for lunch sometime?"

Julian shuffled his feet awkwardly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Amsha's eyes lit up. "Are you seeing someone?"

"I… yes, sort of."

"Sort of? How can you sort of be seeing someone?" Richard asked.

Julian's head was spinning. He hadn't planned to let his parents know about his engagement right away. He was hoping to have Ezri there when he did, mostly so his parents would kill him in front of her. Well, there was nothing for it. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'm getting married."

* * *

Ezri waited until Morn finished drying his eyes before speaking. "Morn, you can't keep beating yourself up over this. I know you care about Ensign Valentine, but it seems to me that she's not ready for a relationship just yet. Let her get to know you a little better; I'm sure she'll come around." Morn nodded and got up to leave. Ezri called after him, "I want to see you next week to hear what happened!"

On his way out of Ezri's office, Morn passed by Julian. Ezri grinned at him. "Hey! I thought you'd still be with your parents." When she saw the scowl on Julian's face, her smile faded. "I'm guessing there's a reason you're not."

Julian threw himself down on the couch. "I did what you wanted; my parents know we're getting married."

Ezri got up from her chair and moved to sit next to Julian. "I'm assuming they didn't take it well."

"It was awful."

"You can't blame them for being hurt that you didn't tell them sooner."

"This exactly why I didn't want to let them know. I knew they'd try to make our marriage about them."

"They enjoy being the center of attention."

"Exactly! They… what's so funny?"

Ezri shook her head, smiling. "They sound just like you." When Julian glared at her, she quickly added, "Maybe you guys don't get along because you're too much alike."

"You don't get it, do you? I don't get along with my parents because of psychological reasoning, but because they thought it was okay to rewrite my genetic structure when I was a child!"

"I know." Ezri said softly. She put an arm around Julian's tense shoulders and squeezed them comfortingly. "What your parents did to you wasn't right, but what if they left you the way you were? Think of all the lives you saved, all the people you met. We wouldn't be together if your parents hadn't given you the skills to make it in Starfleet."

"You don't know that."

"No and neither do you. If you keep focusing on what might have been, then you can't enjoy what you do have."

"How can I enjoy it? It never should have happened!"

"But it did, and it's time you accepted it. Being angry with your parents won't change anything except for the future, and do you really want to spend the rest of your life fighting?" When Julian didn't say anything, Ezri said, "I wish I could help you, I really do, but you're the only one who can change things. Why don't you go back to the Infirmary? Work might take your mind off things."

"I hope so." Julian stood up. "I'll see you tonight."

"Hey." Ezri grabbed his hand before he could leave, smiling up at him. "I love you."

Julian smiled back, but his face was still tense and unhappy. "I love you, too." He leaned down and gave her a slow, gentle kiss. Then he was gone.

Ezri leaned back on the couch with a sigh. Clearly more drastic measures would have to be taken if she wanted to improve Julian's relationship with his parents.

* * *

Julian's day did not improve. He tried to bury himself in his work, but he was unable to forget the anger and frustration he felt towards his parents. He expected them to be upset that he hadn't told them about his engagement to Ezri sooner, but he had been taken aback by their anger. Richard had yelled at Julian, telling him that he was a selfish, overgrown child who didn't care about his family, and Amsha had simply burst into tears. If she had an opinion on the news, Julian didn't stay long enough to find out. He wasn't going to let them ruin this for him. All he wanted to do now was crawl into bed with Ezri and forget about his parents until they left the next day for the Gamma Quadrant.

As he got closer to Ezri's quarters, Julian could smell something cooking. He wrinkled his nose. Ezri had started taking cooking lessons from Captain Sisko, but her own concoctions were nowhere near as tasteful. It looked like Julian would have to suffer through another one of her experiments tonight.

Ezri was placing a piece of charred meat in the replicator when Julian came in. He watched the replicator dispose of it, asking, "What was that supposed to be?"

"Ranjii trout from Bajor. A whole shipment came in yesterday, so I thought I'd give it a try."

"And how many others have you destroyed?"

Ezri stuck her tongue out at him. "That one fell into the grill. I'm not that bad a cook."

"The last time you tried to make us dinner you ended up in sickbay with stomach cramps."

"That wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know that Hajjlaran was that spicy?"

Julian grinned. He enjoyed goading Ezri; she was adorable when she got flustered. "What's with all the cooking, anyway? Did I forget some insignificant anniversary?"

"No, I actually invited your parents over for dinner."

"You did what?!"

Ezri checked on the remaining fish, ignoring the horrified look on her fiancée's face. "Yeah, I went to see them after you went to work. I thought it might be a good idea to get to know my future in-laws better."

"Why didn't you let me know sooner?"

"Because you would have thrown a fit, like you're doing now, and found some poor innocent person to operate on so you wouldn't have to leave the Infirmary for the rest of the evening. Look, you have nothing to worry about. Your parents have calmed down, and they seemed to be looking forward to spending the evening with us."

"Oh, I'm not worried. What would I have to be worried about?" Julian said sarcastically.

"Look, they're gonna be here in an hour. Why don't you make yourself useful and go set the table?"

Julian got some plates from the replicator, muttering under his breath, "We're not even married yet and you're already bossing me around."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

Ezri smirked. "That's what I thought."

* * *

Julian slouched in his chair, his face sullen. He never realized Ezri had such a cruel sense of humor. Well, he wasn't going to enjoy himself. Ever since his parents arrived, Julian barely spoke, only talking when the conversation was directed at him. He knew he was being childish, but his father seemed to take every time he spoke as an opportunity to start an argument. So he let Ezri deal with Richard and Amsha, which didn't seem to bother them one bit.

Part of Julian was relieved that with how taken his family was with Ezri. He dated a Lorillian when he was in high school, and his parents had difficulty dealing with her alien customs. Fortunately, Ezri was so charming that his parent didn't even seem to notice her spots.

"This is fish is wonderful, Ezri." Amsha was saying.

Ezri beamed. "Thank you." She kicked Julian's leg under the table. "I told you I could cook."

"I never said you couldn't cook, just that the majority of the time you can't."

"You try learning how to cook after 300 years; see how well you do!"

Richard raised his eyebrows. "Did you say 300 years?"

"Ezri's a Joined Trill." Julian explained. "The symbiant inside her has lived through eight people, passing the memories from each host down to the next."

"Eight people?" Amsha echoed.

Ezri nodded, counting each host on her fingers. "There's Lela, Tobin, Emony, Audrid, Joran, Curzon, Jadzia, you met her last time you were here, and… who am I forgetting?"

"Torias." Julian said helpfully.

"That's it! Why am I always forgetting about Torias?"

"That's probably why you get spacesick." Julian teased. "He probably wants to make sure you don't forget about him completely."

"I'm sorry, did you say he?" Amsha asked.

Ezri nodded. "Four of my hosts were men."

Julian watched his parents carefully. Knowing them, they probably found the symbiant disturbing, and he hoped they would have the sense not to say anything insulting. Ezri could be very sensitive when it came to the symbiant. Richard opened his mouth, but Amsha silenced him with a look. Turning back to Ezri, she changed the subject. "What does your family do, Ezri?"

"My family runs a pergium mining facility on New Sydney. My mother took over the business when my father died a few years back, and my brother helps her."

Although Ezri's tone was light, Julian noticed how her shoulders tensed up when the conversation turned to her family. Suddenly, everything became clear to him. He couldn't believe how selfish he had been acting. Ever since his parents arrived on DS9 he had complained constantly, even though he believed Ezri couldn't possibly understand what he was going through. But the reality was that she did understand, possibly even more than he realized. She had her own family issues, but she never once tried to compare her situation to his, putting all her effort into helping him. Julian didn't deserve her; if Ezri could put her own problems aside for him, then he could do the same for her. Julian tuned back into the conversation; they had moved away from New Sydney and onto Trill. Ezri was describing some of the tourist attractions the planet had to offer. Leaning forward slightly, Julian chimed in, "Jadzia made Captain Sisko and I visit the Hoobishian Baths when we were on Trill. Definitely worth the trip."

Ezri rolled her eyes. "I remember. You walked around with a stupid grin on your face for almost a week."

"I did not! You should get your memory checked."

"Maybe I'll visit the Baths. They're known to be very therapeutic."

Amsha watched Ezri and Julian tease each other, a soft smile on her face. "Do you two know where you're getting married yet?"

Julian answered her. "Probably here on the station. Most of friends are already here, so it makes things easier."

"Well, we won't be here." Richard grumbled.

Julian knew his father was trying to start an argument, but he wasn't going to let him. He had to take the first step in repairing his relationship with his family. "It shouldn't be too difficult to get transport back to Deep Space 9."

"Does that mean we're invited, then?"

"Of course," Julian said. "I want you both to be there."

For several moments, Julian and his father stared at each other. Then Richard smiled. "Well, we might have to rearrange our schedules, but we'll be there. After all, what kind of parents would we be if we missed our son's wedding?"

* * *

"You know, I'm really proud of you." Ezri said to Julian as she was cleaning up. Richard and Amsha had left a while ago; their transport to the Gamma Quadrant was leaving early the next morning, and they wanted to get some sleep before they had to leave. "What made you change your mind about your parents?"

Julian sat on the couch, watching her. "You did, actually."

"Really? Since when do you take my advice?"

"Since I realized that you're always right."

"Can I get that in writing?"

Julian smirked. "So, since I behaved myself, what do I get in return?"

Ezri rolled her eyes. "The fact that you expect a reward for getting along with your parents is really quite depressing."

"Lucky for me that I have such a wonderful Counselor to help me with all of my various problems." Julian joked before growing serious. "You know, you never did tell me what your mother thought about us getting married."

Ezri shrugged as she placed the last of the dirty dishes in the replicator to be recycled. "She wasn't too happy about it at first, be she realizes this is my decision and that there's nothing she can do about it."

"Why wasn't she happy?"

Ezri sat on Julian's lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "Well, for starters, she thinks I'm too young to be getting married, and she thinks you're too old for me."

"I'm only ten years older than you. Besides, Dax is over 300. Technically, you're too old for me."

Ezri laughed. "That's what I told her. The she got all huffy about me marrying an alien, and that you're genetically enhanced. I think she was just looking for stuff to complain about at that point."

"And did what she said bother you?"

"Not at all." Ezri looked up at Julian. "It doesn't matter to me if you're Human or Trill, genetically enhanced or normal. I chose you, I love you, and I'm never getting rid of you."

Julian smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He kissed her deeply.

When they pulled away from each other, Julian moved to the spots on Ezri's neck. Ezri tilted her head back in order to give him better access, murmuring, "You should probably get to bed. You're supposed to have breakfast with your parents before they leave."

"Care to join me?"

"I was hoping you were going to ask that."

* * *

**I really liked writing this chapter; it's definitely one of my favorites. We're going to jump ahead to about a month before the wedding in the next chapter 'cause I don't feel like writing out all the filler wedding plans stuff. Besides, it's been a while since I caused you guys any kind of emotional trauma. (Whoops semi-spoiler) Review if you love Morn! ('Cause apparently offering you guys prune juice gets me nowhere)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Aria stretched her arms over her head and yawned. "I'm exhausted." She complained.

Nog glanced up from his lunch. "Late night?"

"You could say that." Ever since the incident in the holosuites almost six months ago, Aria had become a regular at Shar and Nog's lunches. She was still a long way from befriending the rest of the officers on Deep Space 9, but found it nice to have a few people to talk to when she was bored.

"Maybe you should stop giving late night training sessions." Nog said slyly. At first, he had been opposed to having lunch with Aria, but after she showed him how to talk his way out of repairing waste extraction units, he was completely taken with her.

Aria raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you're trying to say?"

"Just that Commander Chambers seemed interested in learning more about your… special skills last night"

"How the hell do you know about that?"

"I'm a Ferengi. We hear things."

"Look, I don't know what you heard, but there's nothing going on between me and the Commander."

"But you took him back to your quarters after the two of you had dinner." When Aria glared at him, Nog hastened to explain. "My uncle told me when I was repairing one of his holosuites!"

"Remind me to kill your uncle. Do you really want me to break this down for you?"

"If you don't mind."

Aria sighed in exasperation. "Fine. A ship docks at DS9, Chambers comes onboard. He sees me, I see him. We have dinner, we spend the night together, he leaves the next day. That's all; no relationship, no commitment, no nothing."

"Really?"

"Really."

"But… why?"

"Relationships are messy, Nog. Best not to get involved in one."

"Have it your way, but I wouldn't mind so much." Nog said wistfully.

Aria smirked. "What about you, Shar?" The Andorian was staring blankly into space and appeared not to have heard her. "Shar? Shar!"

Shar blinked. "Yes?"

Aria frowned at him. "You've said nothing for the past ten minutes; it's getting boring."

"Is anything wrong?" Nog asked.

"I'm thinking, that is all."

Aria sipped at her Icoberry juice. "More like sulking. I'm guessing your chat with your mother didn't go to well?"

Shar stared at her. "How did you-?"

"I'm a security officer, Shar. When a Federation Councilmember sends a message to DS9, that sort of thing tends to get our attention."

"Your mother's on the Federation Council?"

Aria answered Nog's question, speaking in a mocking tone. "Councilor Charivretha zh'Thane, the voice of Andor."

Shar frowned. "You're not being funny."

"Wasn't trying to be. Federation politics are ridiculous, and the politicians aren't always much better. So, what did you talk about?"

"It is a private matter."

"Hey, it makes no difference to me. I just thought you were one of those 'share your feelings' types."

Nog cut in before Shar could respond. Aria may enjoy goading people, but Nog could tell it was upsetting Shar. Changing the subject, he asked, "So, when are you guys leaving for Cardassia?"

Aria accepted the change in topic, though Shar was still glaring at her. "First thing tomorrow morning. I wish Doctor Bashir would let Odo assign more security; Cardassia's not the safest place these days.

"But it's only a relief mission."

"That doesn't mean all the Cardassians are going to be friendly. Doctor Bashir's taking a risk by just taking me and Lieutenant Malloy to look after him and Shar."

Shar rose stiffly. "I should make sure my things are in order. Excuse me."

Once Shar was out of earshot, Nog turned to Aria. "What's wrong with you?"

"That depends on who you ask."

"I'm talking about Shar. Why are you so mean to him?"

"If you think that's mean, then you've got a lot to learn." Aria snapped. "Shar needs to relax; I was only messing with him."

"This isn't the first time this has happened."

"And it probably won't be the last."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, Shar's been nothing but nice to you, but he's starting to lose his patience. You know him; he's not used to your brand of teasing. If you're not careful, you could lose him as a friend."

* * *

"I don't want to leave."

"I don't want you to go either, but you still have to."

Julian sighed and climbed out of bed. Ezri watched him get dressed, a soft smile on her face. "I don't know why you're so gloomy. You'll be back from Cardassia in a few days."

"It'll feel like an eternity without you there."

Ezri rolled her eyes. "Don't try to be extra romantic; you're really bad at it."

"I can't help it; I'm getting married in a few weeks." At Julian's comment, Ezri groaned and pulled the covers over her head. "Glad to see you're looking forward to it."

"When you've been married six times it tends to lose its charm."

"Well, I haven't had that luxury, so excuse me if I'm a little excited."

Ezri poked her head out. "A little? You've practically been skipping around the station."

"You exaggerate, as always." Julian gave Ezri a kiss. "I'll see you when I get back."

"Say hi to Garak for me."

Julian left Ezri's quarters and headed for the launch pad. Even though the wedding was still weeks away, he could feel the excitement and nervousness flowing through him as if it was tomorrow. Miles found the entire thing quite amusing, using his friend's distraction to his advantage in their weekly game of darts. He would tell Julian that he was so preoccupied with his upcoming wedding that he wouldn't even notice if Indiana Jones came out of the holosuite and went swinging through the upper levels of Quark's on his whip.

_It's funny how things work out_. Julian mused as he headed for the _Volga_. He had never given much thought to marriage before he met Ezri, and even now, he was surprised by his desire to spend the rest of his life with her. When he had thought about it, he always expected to find someone who shared his interests, who was just like him. It wasn't like that with Ezri; there were times when they had almost nothing in common. It wasn't until he was with Ezri did Julian finally realize that love wasn't about finding the person who was exactly like you, but rather being with someone who completed you. It made the time they spent together all the more special. Julian couldn't wait for the day when he would see Ezri walking down the aisle to him, to join her life to his.

Lieutenant Malloy and Ensign ch'Thane were checking the _Volga_'s systems when Julian came aboard. "Everything set?" He asked.

Shar checked the display in front of him. "Everything is in order, Doctor. We're just waiting for Lieutenant Mahoney to secure the cargo."

"You don't have to wait any longer." Mahoney entered the cockpit and took her station. "Everything's buckled down tight; we're ready to go whenever you are."

Julian nodded and sat down to Malloy at the helm. "_Volga _to Ops; we're ready to go."

Kira's voice replied, "You've been cleared for departure. Have a good trip."

Malloy fired up the _Volga_'s while Mahoney punched in the coordinates. Once they were clear of the station, they went to warp, setting course for Cardassia.

* * *

Aria stretched and glanced around the cabin. For the past five hours, her fellow officers had been practically silent, and she was starting to get restless. Part of the downside of spending time with Nog and Shar was that she had grown used to socializing with others. Not that she minded as much anymore; Nog shared her sense of humor and Shar, well, he was fun to annoy. If only he didn't take her teasing so personally.

Deciding that she wanted a snack, Aria got up and ordered a bowl of pistachios from the replicator. On her way back to her seat, she asked Shar, "Do you want any?"

Shar examined the bowl on green nuts, his antennae curled. "I think I'll pass. I've learned not to trust anything you and Nog try to feed me."

Aria laughed. "Suit yourself. How 'bout you, Steve?"

"Sure." Malloy leaned back and grabbed a handful.

"Doctor?"

"No, thank you." Bashir answered curtly.

Aria rolled her eyes and sat back down. Bashir made it no secret that he didn't like her, which suited her just fine. She found the Doctor irritating; he was overconfident and childish. Between him and Shar, she'd be lucky to say anything without offending someone. At least she got along well enough with Malloy. He was head of Starfleet Security on Deep Space 9, and Aria found him to be easygoing and quite competent.

"We just entered the nebula along the Cardassian border, the one we explored months ago. Why?"

Malloy tried to explain. "If we went around the nebula it would add at least half a day to our journey."

"But the Jem'Hadar-!"

Aria interrupted. "Starfleet searched the nebula and the planets inside it. There was no sign of any Jem'Hadar. Don't worry, Doctor; I'm sure our luck isn't that bad."

Suddenly, an explosion hit the runabout and alarms went off. Aria's bowl of pistachios went flying as she spun her chair around to face her console. "What the hell was that?"

"We're being fired upon!" Shar cried.

"That's great, Shar! Mind telling us who's shooting at us?"

Malloy answered her. "Sensors are picking up a Jem'Hadar attack cruiser."

Bashir's hands were flying over the controls, but he still managed to launch a jab at Aria. "So, I have nothing to worry about, do I?"

Aria opened her mouth to retort, but Malloy cut her off. "Enough! Ensign, try to send a distress call to the station. Doctor, take us out of warp. That way we might be able to out-maneuver them."

The _Volga _dropped out of warp, the Jem'Hadar ship right behind them. Aria called out, "I have a torpedo lock."

"Fire!" Several torpedoes were launched, but only a few hit their target. The Jem'Hadar had better luck. Sparks flew about the cabin as Malloy called out, "Damage report?"

"Shields are down to 42%!" Aria answered.

"Sir, two more Jem'Hadar ships are closing in!" Shar reported.

The cabin shook as another blast hit the ship. "We just lost phasers, and shields are down to 37%!" Aria called out.

"Ensign, scan the area. See if you can find somewhere we can make an emergency landing."

Shar began to adjust the ships heading. "We just passed a small moon. Setting course now."

"Lieutenant, keep the Jem'Hadar off our backs!"

The attacking ships the _Volga _once again, and the lights flickered. "We just lost engines!" Aria reported. "I hope that moon of yours is close by, Shar."

"See for yourself."

The crew faced the viewscreen. "Brace yourself!" Malloy cried out as the moon's rocky surface rose up to meet them. Aria barely had time to curse her rotten luck before her world exploded around her.

* * *

**The evil cliffy returns with a vengeance! I tried my best with this chapter, but actions scenes are sometimes difficult for me to write. Still, I hope you enjoyed it. Let's hope Shar's distress call got out in time. Review for pistachios!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Doctor? Doctor Bashir, can you hear me?"

Julian opened his eyes. He was lying on rocky ground, Ensign ch'Thane bending over him. Behind him, the wreckage of the _Volga _smoldered. Groaning, Julian propped himself up on his elbows. "Are the others okay?"

Lieutenant Mahoney emerged from the wreckage, a medical kit and several phaser rifles over her shoulder. "Lieutenant Malloy's dead." She reported. "His neck was broken on impact." She knelt down in front of Julian and opened the med kit. "Aside from a few bumps and bruises, we're all okay. Shar, see if you can find anything about the ship's communication system. Try to gather any surviving supplies while you're at it."

Shar nodded and climbed into the runabout. Mahoney took a dermal regenerator out of the med kit, explaining as she did. "You got a pretty nasty bump on your head. I'm gonna take care of it." Julian flinched away as she held the instrument up to his face, and she rolled her eyes. "Relax, Doctor. I may not have gone to medical school, but I think I can handle this." Julian relented and allowed Aria to tend to his injury. As she worked, she murmured, "I know what you're thinking."

"I didn't realize you were a telepath, Lieutenant." Julian responded dryly.

"You're trying to find some way to blame this all on me."

"You were the one who insisted on traveling through the nebula."

"Steve designed the flight plan, and at the time I supported his decision." Mahoney set the dermal regenerator down and looked Julian straight in the eye. "Starfleet told us the nebula was safe, Doctor, and now Lieutenant Malloy is dead because we believed them. Not every bad thing that happens is my fault. Look, I get that you don't like me, but right now, I'm the best chance we got of getting of this rock in one piece. I know the Jem'Hadar, and if you want to stay alive, you have to start trusting me."

Shar climbed out of the _Volga_. "The communication system is completely fried."

"I thought as much. Did you find anything else worth saving?"

"Not really."

Aria tossed a rifle to Shar and passed another to Julian. "Well, there's nothing for it. On your feet, Doctor. We should get moving before the Jem'Hadar come looking for us."

Julian got up as Mahoney led Shar away from the wreckage. He hated to admit it, but Aria was right; her experience with the Jem'Hadar was their best chance for survival. As he followed his fellow officers, he couldn't help but wonder if they would be able to survive her.

* * *

Ezri stormed through Ops, ignoring the stares she was getting. Not even bothering with the door chime, she burst into Sisko's office. "Do you mind telling me just what is going on?" She demanded.

"I was just about to call you."

"Oh, were you? You should have called me an hour ago when you got Ensign ch'Thane's distress call!"

Sisko remained infuriatingly calm as Ezri yelled at him. "It seems to me that you already know what happened."

"All Miles told me was that the _Volga _was attacked. Who attacked them? It couldn't have been the Cardassians. Was it the Breen?"

Sisko held up his hands to stop Ezri's babbling. "Neither. It appears that Starfleet wasn't able to track down all the Jem'Hadar that was in the nebula. The _Volga _passed through it to save time, and they were attacked."

Ezri's porcelain skin turned even paler. She sank into an empty chair. "How… how could Starfleet make such a mistake? They could be dead!"

Sisko stood up. "We're taking the _Defiant _to search the nebula; we'll find out what happened to them."

"I'm coming with you." Ezri said immediately.

Sisko shook his head. "No, Dax."

"But, Benjamin-!"

"I said no."

"Is this because I yelled at you? Because I'm pretty sure that was Curzon talking."

"You're too close to this, Ezri, and that could affect your judgment. Besides, you yourself said that the _Defiant _doesn't need a Counselor."

"Those were completely different circumstances!"

"My decision is final."

"Please, Ben," Ezri begged. "Don't make me just sit around here waiting for you to find out whether Julian is alive or dead."

"I promise to keep you informed." Sisko headed for the door, but before he left he turned back to Ezri. "Just so you know, I'm leaving Colonel Kira orders that no runabouts are to leave the station, so don't get any ideas."

Ezri smiled weakly, but it quickly faded. "Just bring him home, Ben." Sisko nodded and left Ezri alone. Ezri closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from spilling out onto her face. _Please be alive, Julian_. She prayed. _Don't leave me like this. Please, please, please_.

* * *

Aria, Julian, and Shar had spent the entire day trekking over the rocky hills of the moon, trying to get as far away from the wreckage of the _Volga _as possible. It wasn't until night fell did Julian manage to convince Aria that if they didn't rest soon, they wouldn't be able to run from the Jem'Hadar for much longer, let alone fight them. Aria relented, but only on the condition that she took first watch. She didn't turn around when she heard footsteps behind her. "What are you doing up?" She asked.

Shar sat down on the ground next to her. "I could ask you the same question."

"Someone has to keep watch."

"You need to rest, too."

"I'm fine, Shar!" Aria snapped, then she sighed. "Sorry; I'm a little on edge."

"We all are. Why don't you let me keep watch for a while; get some rest?"

"Don't you get it? I need to stay up; this is what I'm good at. It's kinda hard for me to mess this up." When Shar opened his mouth to comment, she added, "And that's not an invitation for you to try to learn more about my feelings." The pair sat in silence for a few minutes before Aria asked, "What about you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Your mother. Whatever happened with that?"

Shar immediately stiffened up. "I told you, it is a private matter."

"Hey." Aria's voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "You helped me through a rough patch once. Let me do the same for you."

"You would do that for me?"

"What are friends for?"

A small smile twitched on Shar's face. "It's rather complicated."

"I got time."

Shar scratched the base of one of his antennae. "What exactly do you know about Andorians?"

"Just that they bleed blue when you break their noses."

"Aside from that charming detail, we do not have two genders like most species. We have four."

Aria blinked. "Four? How do you-?"

"Like I said, it's complicated. While humans have the male and female genders, Andorians have _zhen_, _chan_, _shen_, and _thaan_. _Zhen _and _shen _are like your females, and _chan _and _thaan _are like males. I am a _chan_, and the parent who contacted me was _zhen_, my _zhavey_."

"Um, okay, that's really interesting, but what does that have to do with your mother's, sorry, your _zhavey_'_s _call?"

"Well, my _zhavey _wants me to return home, to Andor."

"And how is that a problem?"

"Because she wants me to come home so that I can marry my bondmates."

There was a pause as Aria took in what Shar just said. "I'm assuming by bondmates you mean three other Andorians."

"That is correct." At the look on Aria's face, he added. "I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable."

"No, no it's okay." Aria bit her lip, trying to think of something to say that Shar wouldn't find offensive. "Do you love them?"

"That's not the point. My _zhavey _wants me to put my career aside so I can fulfill an obligation that was arranged before I was even born like a proper Andorian. My feelings for my bondmates aside, I do not wish to blindly follow the rules of Andorian society. I will go back to Andor when I am ready, but until then I wish to live my life the way I want to."

Aria nodded. "That makes sense to me."

"Really?"

"It's your life, Shar. If you're not ready to get married, then that's your choice."

"I wish my _zhavey _could understand that."

"It's your job to make her understand. I do have one question, though."

"What is it?"

"Alright, so I get Andorians have more genders than humans. Does that mean… so do you guys have different body parts then?"

"Aria!"

"I'm just curious!"

"I refuse to answer that."

"Oh, come on, Shar. Don't-." Aria stopped mid-sentence. "Did you hear that?"

Shar listened. "Yes!" The pair immediately reached for their weapons, Aria poking her head out from behind the rock they were hiding behind in order to locate the source of the disturbance. "Do you see anything?" Shar hissed.

"See for yourself." Shar followed Aria's gaze. Several feet away from them, at least 50 Jem'Hadar soldiers were marching past them. "I think we should wake up Doctor Bashir." Aria said. "It looks like our chances of getting off this moon got a lot slimmer."

* * *

**You know, I'm really glad I decided to include Shar in this story. Not only is he a great character, but I have a lot of fun writing him with Aria. Just so you know, that whole "Andorians have four genders" is not something I made up; it's a big part of the DS9 novels. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review and subscribe! **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Julian watched the Jem'Hadar squadron march past, his brow furrowed. "Well, this certainly complicates things."

Aria began crawling backwards. "Come on; let's get away from here before they spot us."

Once they had reached a safe distance, Shar asked Aria, "What do we do now?"

"The way I see it we have three options: we could hide until the _Defiant _comes looking for us and hope that the Jem'Hadar don't find us first, we could charge them in a glorious attack and be brutally killed, or we could follow them to their hideout and learn more about them so we can destroy them later. Personally, I'm voting for option three."

Julian stared at her, incredulous. "And what if they catch us following them? In case you haven't noticed, there are only three of us and at least 50 of them."

Aria shrugged. "Then we'll have to make sure they don't catch us."

"Is that it? You could get us all killed!"

"You know what, Doctor? I'm getting sick of your pessimism. If you don't want to get the Jem'Hadar out of the Alpha Quadrant, then stay here; it makes no difference to me."

"I want the Jem'Hadar dead as much as you do, but we can't just go chasing after them without a plan!"

"Enough!" Shar snapped. "If the two of you keep arguing the Jem'Hadar will hear you and solve all our problems for us! Sirs." He added when Aria and Julian glared at him.

Aria sighed. "Look, we're not going to agree on this so I'm not going to waste my breathe trying to make you change your mind. I'm just asking you to trust me on this."

More than anything Julian wanted to tell Aria that she was out of her mind; that he didn't trust her. Then he noticed the determined expression on his face. She would go through with her plan whether he agreed with it or not. Maybe Aria did know what she was doing; she must have been in similar situations during the Dominion War. Still, he couldn't forget that the last time Aria faced the Jem'Hadar, Ezri almost died. What if this time it was him and Shar who got killed? Could he take that risk? Then he realized he was allowing his personal feelings to interfere with his judgment. Aria was a professional; she knew what she was doing. It was time for him to let her do her job. "Alright, Lieutenant. What do we do now?"

Aria seemed taken aback by his sudden change of heart. "Well, we got to follow the Jem'Hadar; they should lead us to their base, and that should give us a better idea on how to deal with them."

"There were a lot of 'should' in that sentence." Shar said doubtfully.

"That's what makes it all the more fun. Come on; we got some Jem'Hadar to track."

* * *

"Are you sure you haven't heard anything?"

"No. They'll contact us as soon as they find something." Kira said to Ezri, who was pacing around Sisko's office.

"I hate all this waiting."

"I can tell. When was the last time you got any sleep?"

Ezri rubbed her face with her hands. "Oh, gods, I don't know."

"Then maybe you should get some."

"You can't seriously be suggesting that I try to sleep now!"

"Ezri, look at yourself! All you're doing now is making yourself more upset. Take a break for a while; I'll let you know if Sisko calls."

Ezri wanted to argue, but she knew Kira was right. Pacing around Ops wasn't going to make the _Defiant _find Julian any sooner. "Fine."

"It'll be okay, Ezri."

"I hope so." Ezri left the office and made her way through Ops, trying to ignore the looks being cast her way. Ever since Julian and the others disappeared people had tiptoes around her, giving her sympathetic glances whenever they thought she wasn't looking. Ezri knew they meant well, but it didn't help the aching lump in her chest.

Ezri took the lift down to the Habitat Ring and tried to calm herself down. This was far worse than the time Worf vanished in the Badlands. Most of her concern then had been Jadzia's, but now it was pure Ezri; her own feelings, not those of the past hosts. Not knowing if Julian was okay or not was terrifying, and if he was dead…

Shaking, Ezri got off the turbo lift and headed for her quarters. She had to stay positive. Julian was a resourceful man; he would have found a way to escape the Jem'Hadar and lay low until the _Defiant _found him and the others. There was no reason for her to jump to conclusions.

Upon entering her quarters Ezri started getting ready for bed, though she doubted that she would get much sleep tonight. Before she turned out the lights, something in the corner caught her eye. It was Kukalaka, the stuffed bear Julian had since his childhood. He had brought it over a few days ago with the idea that it would help keep her company while he was away. She had laughed at him, but it didn't seem so silly now. Ezri picked it up, a small smile on her face. She could never quite understand why Julian was so attached to this bear; he was a grown man yet he still played with toys. Running her hand over its worn face, Ezri couldn't help but marvel at the time and care Julian took into maintaining Kukalaka. It showed how devoted he was to the things he cared about, no matter how small they may be. Ezri held Kukalaka up to her face; it stilled smelled like him. All the stress and fear she had been fighting off suddenly crashed down on her. Holding Kukalaka tight to her chest, Ezri cried.

* * *

Aria tilted her head to one side, examining the scene before her. "This could be worse." She murmured.

"Your sense of optimism never ceases to amaze me." Shar responded drily.

They tracked the Jem'Hadar squad to an extinct volcano. Inside, there were at least half a dozen more Jem'Hadar, along with a jumble of weapons, technical material, and a couple of attack ships in desperate need of repairs. "So, what's your plan, Lieutenant?" Julian hissed.

"I'm thinking."

"I thought you said you had a plan."

"I said that I would come up with one; just give me a minute."

"We may not have a minute!"

"While Aria and Julian were bickering, Shar took out his tricorder and scanned the area. "Aria, look at this." He said. "The rock contains uridium. We could use it to create and explosion that would cause a rockslide that should eliminate most of the Jem'Hadar."

Aria scooted closer to Shar in order to examine the scan's results. "Maybe, but it would take a lot of uridium to generate that big of an explosion. Besides, it would take a miracle for us to set that up without being seen."

While the two of them discussed potential plans, Julian continued to watch the Jem'Hadar. They were different from the other Jem'Hadar he had met. They didn't seem to have a purpose to their actions; most of them were wandering aimlessly about. They also seemed to lack the discipline that was standard to the Jem'Hadar. Two of them were fighting for no apparent reason. Julian suspected it might have something to do with the Ketracel White they found at the breeding facility several months earlier. Its nutritional quality had been poor, and it may be the cause of their abnormal behavior. Hopefully it would also make them easier to deal with.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack as the ledge supporting Shar gave way. He tumbled down the slope, landing in the middle of a group of Jem'Hadar.

"Shar!" Aria cried. She vaulted over the rim of the volcano, sliding to his aid. Cursing under his breath, Julian followed her.

By some miracle, Aria and Shar were still alive. Shar was still on the ground, clutching his leg. Julian knelt next to him, asking, "Are you alright?" Shar nodded, but his tightly curled antennae showed that he was in a vast amount of pain.

Aria had her phaser out, but for probably the first time in her life, she didn't know what to do with it. "They're just standing there. What's going on?"

A burly Jem'Hadar thrust his way past his fellow soldiers, all of whom seemed confused by the sudden appearance of three Starfleet officers. "Why did you come here?" He snarled. "Couldn't you leave us alone?"

The only reason Aria didn't shoot him was that she was so shocked. "You're not even supposed to be in the Alpha Quadrant! What right do you have to tell us where to go?"

"We did nothing to you."

"Really? You shot us out of the sky!"

"If you want a fight, you'll get one."

"Oh, I was hoping you'd say that." Aria raised her phaser.

"Wait!" Julian leapt forward, grabbing Aria's phaser.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Just wait." Julian faced the Jem'Hadar who had confronted them. "You're not addicted to the White."

The Jem'Hadar glanced down at his chest, which lacked a tube connected to his neck. "How did you know that?"

"I one met a Jem'Hadar who was also independent from the White. He asked me to free his men from their addiction."

The Jem'Hadar stepped forward, his tone suddenly desperate. "Were you able to?"

"No." When the other Jem'Hadar heard this, they became more agitated, muttering amongst themselves.

"Enough!" Their leader barked. "Leave us." Once they had retreated to a safe distance, he turned back to Julian. "I am Horan'iklan. I brought my men here to free them from the Dominion and their addiction to Ketracel White."

Aria couldn't believe what she was seeing. Julian was actually having a civil conversation with a creature that was responsible for millions of deaths. "By staying here you've violated the treaty between the Dominion and the Federation." She said.

"We are no longer a part of the Dominion."

"It doesn't matter. You've committed an act of war!"

"We have done nothing to you!"

"You attacked us twice!"

"You invaded our territory; we were defending ourselves!"

"Your territory? How dare you-!"

"Enough!" Julian snapped. "Stand down, Lieutenant!"

"Are you out of your mind?" Aria hissed. "This is a Jem'Hadar you're talking to!"

"I am well aware of that. Now, stand down!"

"This thing will kill us all!"

"If that's true, then why are we still alive?" Turning his back on Aria, Julian continued his conversation with Horan'iklan. "How long have you been here?"

"Many months. When we first came here, there were 100 of us. Now our numbers are half of that. I have tried to make Ketracel White in order to keep them alive until they break their addiction, but it isn't working. If you were allowed to continue your work, do you think you could find a cure?"

Julian hesitated, glancing over at the other Jem'Hadar before answering in a lowered tone, "There is no cure. The reason you don't need Ketracel White is because your genetic structure was mutated in some way; you were never addicted to it. The others are, and I don't think there's anything anyone can do to help them."

Horan'iklan was silent for several moments. "Then I have failed. Leave, so I can dispose of my men before they learn the truth and turn against me."

"You can't just kill them!" Julian protested.

"He can and he will, Doctor." Aria said. "What else would you expect from a Jem'Hadar?"

Horan'iklan glared at her. "You do not understand. My men believed in me, and I failed them. I cannot just stand by while they suffer and die. Besides, they have become difficult to control. The galaxy would be a safer place without them."

Just then, Julian's commbadge chirped. "Sisko to Bashir. Doctor, are you alright?"

Slightly stunned that they had been found already, Julian answered. "Lieutenant Mahoney and I are fine, but Ensign ch'Thane's been injured and Lieutenant Malloy was killed in the crash."

"We've found his body; we'll beam you aboard."

"Stand by, Captain." Julian redirected his attention back to Horan'iklan. "There's another way; you could come with us."

"Doctor!"

Julian ignored Aria's protest. "Our ship can destroy your base from orbit without any risk to you. You would be able to start a new life."

"Would your Federation let me go free?"

"I can't make any promises, but Captain Sisko will want to hear what you have to say. Once he does, I'm sure he'll try to help you.'

Horan'iklan considered Julian's offer. Finally, he nodded. "Very well."

Julian hailed the _Defiant_. "Captain, we're bringing a Jem'Hadar with us. He's unarmed, and he means us no harm."

"Are you sure about this, Doctor?"

"I trust him, Captain."

"Very well. Stand by for transport."

While they waited for the _Defiant _to beam them aboard, Aria glared at Julian. "I hope you don't live to regret this, Doctor."

As Julian watched Horan'iklan vanished in a wave of blue light, he couldn't help but agree with Aria. If he was wrong about Horan'iklan, then he would be bringing a dangerous enemy to his home and the people he cared about. Still, he had met Jem'Hadar like Horan'iklan before. This could be the beginning of a new age of peace between their two species.

* * *

**See? The Jem'Hadar weren't bad at all; they were just trying to learn how to love! Granted, they kinda failed at that, but it's the thought that counts. Keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter and for a very special announcement. Review if you want Kukalaka!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Aria was relieved when the _Defiant _finally docked at Deep Space 9. It had been a very stressful trip, and she longed for the comfort of her own quarters. Maybe after some rest she would be less tempted to knock Bashir over the head. He had been nothing but a constant source of irritation while they were stranded, and then he had the nerve to bring a Jem'Hadar back with them. At least they were able to destroy the Jem'Hadar base from orbit. Horan'iklan said that there were no more Jem'Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant besides him and his followers; now it was just a matter of whether they could trust his word or not.

"Aria!" Shar caught up to his friend as she was climbing out the airlock. "I was looking for you earlier."

"Sorry. Sisko was debriefing me and Bashir on what happened on the moon. How's your leg?"

"Nurse Richter fixed it in less than a minute. Did you see Horan'iklan?"

Aria scowled. "Oh, yeah. He's been in Sisko's ready room ever since he came aboard, going on and on about how he's different from all the other Jem'Hadar, Sisko and Bashir hanging on every word."

The pair walked onto the Promenade. "I'm assuming you don't approve, then." Shar said.

"That's an understatement. I don't care how evolved he is; you can't trust a Jem'Hadar!"

"Why don't you say something?"

"Because once Starfleet makes a decision, it's almost impossible to change their mind. If they want to work with Horan'iklan, then there's very little I can do about it."

Nog emerged from Quark's as Aria and Shar drew closer to it. When he saw his friends, his face lit up. "Did the two of you have a nice trip?" He called out to them.

Aria grinned at the young Ferengi. "It was like being on vacation."

"You guys want a drink?"

Shar's antennae perked up. "Sounds good to me. Aria?"

She shook her head. "You two have fun. I'm heading to bed." Shar went into Quark's, but Aria grabbed Nog's arm before he could follow. "Hang on a second."

"What is it?"

"Do yourself a favor and ask Shar what a _zhavey _is."

"Why?"

"It's got something to do with what's been bugging him lately."

"You mean he actually told you what's been bothering him? He didn't say a thing to me, and I've been asking him for days!"

Aria shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a people person." She left Nog and headed for her quarters. Shar may be annoyed that she got Nog involved in his personal problems, but she knew that talking to Nog might help him sort things out. Talking wasn't one of Aria's stronger skills, anyway. Shar was a good person, and he didn't deserve all the stress his _zhavey _was forcing on him. After all, what kind of friend would Aria be if she let someone else torment him?

* * *

"The _Mjolnir_ will be stopping by tomorrow to take Horan'iklan to Starbase 659 in order to meet with Federation representatives." Sisko said.

Julian nodded. "What do you think will happen to him?"

"It's difficult to say at this point. The information he has on the Dominion could be invaluable to Starfleet Intelligence, but there's still the matter of whether or not we can trust him."

"I think we can, sir. Not needing the Ketracel White has given Horan'iklan the ability to grow beyond his Dominion conditioning and develop a conscious. He may be a Jem'Hadar, but he seems to realize the errors of his people and is willing to change his ways."

"I hope you're right, Doctor. Get some rest; I can't imagine sleeping on rocks was very relaxing."

"It most certainly wasn't. Good night, sir." Julian left Sisko's office and took the turbolift down to the Habitat Ring. He was exhausted, but he wanted to see Ezri before he turned in. She didn't meet the _Defiant _at the airlock, which made him wonder if she had been worried about him at all. He was probably over-reacting, though; it was late, so she was most likely sleeping. When he reached Ezri's quarters, the sensors recognized him and the doors slid open. The room was dark, and there was no sign of Ezri. Julian poked his head into her bedroom, and what he saw made him smile. Ezri was fast asleep, Kukalaka resting in the crook of her arm. Kneeling down on the floor next to her, Julian shook her gently. "Ezri. Ezri, wake up."

Ezri's eyes fluttered open at the sound of his voice. "Julian!" She gasped. Sitting up, she flung her arms around his neck and began kissing his face.

Julian chuckled. "Good to see you, too."

"When did you get back?"

"About 15 minutes ago."

"Kira was supposed to call me as soon as you were on the station!"

"Would you rather do this in public?"

Ezri held Julian's face in her hands, her eyes full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Julian kissed her palm. "I'm fine. You worry too much."

"Well, what do you expect me to do when you were attacked by the Jem'Hadar?" Ezri cried, the pitch of her voice rising.

Julian spoke to her soothingly. "It's over now; you don't have to worry any more. Besides, I've been through worse and it's always worked out fine."

Ezri pushed herself away from him, her voice shaking. "What about next time? What if you don't come back?"

Julian moved onto the bed. "I'll always come back to you." He tried to put an arm around her, but Ezri pushed him away.

"You don't know what it's like." She said. "Not being there with you when you're in trouble; not being able to help you. It's awful! I… I don't know if I can keep doing this."

Julian was quiet, then he asked, "Does that mean you don't want to get married anymore?"

"No! I don't know. I just don't want to lose you!"

"I don't want to lose you either, but it doesn't change the fact that one day I will."

Ezri stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"When Dax is Joined with a new host. Your memories will live on, but I won't be able to have any part in your new life."

Ezri moved closer to Julian and took his hand. "I never knew that bothered you."

"It used to; there were even times when I didn't know if I would be able to handle it. Then I realized that I would rather have you for one lifetime then not at all. I can't promise that nothing will ever happen to me, but I promise that I will never stop loving you. What do you say?"

Ezri kissed him gently. "You mean everything to me, Julian, and I don't want to live my life without you, either. I love you, and that will never change, not matter what body I'm in." She kissed him again, this time more deeply.

Julian pulled away slightly, murmuring. "Should we really be doing this in front of Kukalaka?"

Ezri laughed before pulling him back from another kiss. She loved this man, no matter how ridiculous he may be, and she couldn't wait to marry him.

* * *

**Aww isn't love adorable? Now for my special announcement; Stars and Spots is going to be a five-part series! I've always wanted to to a project like this, and now seems as good a time as any. I'm super excited and I hope you are, too. There will probably be at least two more chapters in this installment. Review and subscribe; you won't regret it!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Ezri let out a sigh of contentment as Malko worked his hands down her back. With her wedding to Julian only four days away, she had asked Kira, Kasidy, and Keiko to join her in the holosuites to spend the evening in a holographic representation of the Hoobishian Baths. Raising her head slightly, Ezri glanced over at the pool where Keiko and Kasidy were relaxing. Kira was perched on the edge, frowning skeptically at the water. "Nerys," Ezri chided, "You said you were going to at least try to have fun."

"I am." Kira tried to reassure her. "I just don't feel like swimming,"

Kasidy stretched, running a hand over her pregnant belly. "Oh, come on, Kira; the water's lovely. I haven't felt this relaxed in months."

Keiko smiled. "Have you picked out a name yet?"

"Ben and I have a few choices, but we're going to have to wait and see if it's a boy or a girl before we make a decision."

"Why haven't you asked Julian if it's a boy or a girl?" Kira asked.

Kasidy shrugged. "It makes things more exciting. Now, are you going to get in or not?"

"No, I'm okay. Holosuites aren't exactly my thing."

Ezri left the massage bench and joined her friends. "It could be worse. Did you know Julian actually wanted to get married in a holosuite?"

Kira stared at her. "You can't be serious."

"He was going to design the program and everything."

"Welcome to my world." Keiko teased.

"I'm actually glad Benjamin took Julian and the others down to Bajor for his bachelor party. If Julian spends any more time in the holosuites, I'm afraid his brain is going to start degrading."

"I don't understand why you wouldn't let us throw you a party." Kira complained.

Ezri shook her head. "Jadzia may have enjoyed parties, but Ezri doesn't. Besides, my mother's coming in tomorrow, and if I'm hung over she'll never let me hear the end of it."

"I thought you said she was too busy to come to the wedding." Keiko said.

"That's what she told me originally." Ezri sighed. "Janel was going to come by himself, but then she called me last week and, surprise, she can make it after all."

"You don't seem pleased." Keiko observed.

"It makes things a bit more stressful. I just wish I didn't have to meet the transport by myself; Julian doesn't get back 'til tomorrow night. He probably did that on purpose; he's heard all the horror stories about my mother plenty of times."

"That's enough." Kasidy scolded. "You're getting married; cheer up for God's sake!"

Ezri grinned sheepishly and slid into the pool. As she did, she seized Kira's arm and yanked it so that the Colonel fell face first into the water. Spluttering, Kira resurfaced and glared at her friend. "What was that for?"

Ezri laughed. "Just making sure you enjoy yourself."

Keiko glanced around the spa. "I'm surprised you're not coming here for your honeymoon. It's lovely."

"I know better than to take Julian to a place like this. He's still recovering from his last visit."

"What about Risa?"

Ezri shook her head. "Julian wanted to go there, but I talked him out of it. It's so tacky! I want our honeymoon to be some place special, somewhere neither of us has been before."

"Doesn't that eliminate most of the galaxy for you?" Kasidy joked.

Ezri laughed. "There's a villa on Halii that's almost 200 years old; it's absolutely breathtaking. It's in the middle of this beautiful forest, and there's a beach not too far away. It's completely isolated from civilization; it's perfect."

Kira looked skeptical. "And Julian agreed to this?"

Ezri smiled slyly. "He saw the benefits of agreeing with me."

Kasidy shook her head in disbelief. "We'll, you'll certainly have an interesting marriage to say the least."

"That's the plan." Ezri chirped. "Come on, I want you guys to try the steam room. If that doesn't make you relax, I don't know what will."

* * *

"They're gonna drop it this time." Aria said.

Shar watched the Ferengi waiters carrying part of an arch. "You have said that three times. They haven't dropped anything yet."

"I'm telling you; it's gonna happen." There was a loud crash, followed by Quark's furious cursing. "Told you! Next round's on you!"

"Why are Doctor Bashir and Counselor Dax getting married in the bar anyway? Surely there were other options?"

"Because they're crazy. Besides, not everyone goes to Andor to get married."

Shar frowned at Aria, who was trying her best to look innocent. "You have been monitoring my communications again, haven't you?"

"I am a Starfleet officer; I would never invade your privacy."

"Unless you and Nog ran out of things to gossip about."

"We don't gossip; we discuss current events. So, what did your _zhavey _want this time?"

"What do you think?"

"I thought you told her that you weren't ready to get married yet."

"I did, but she refuses to leave me alone."

"You know what you should do?" Aria suggested. "Tell her that she's only thinking about herself and that she doesn't give a rat's ass about you or what you want. She'll never speak to you again."

"You cannot be serious."

"Worked with my mother." Turning around in her seat, Aria called out, "Hey, Quark!"

A very stressed Quark appeared at her side. "Make it brief, Lieutenant. I got a lot of work to do."

"Odo wanted me to tell you that the new safety codes prevent you hanging things from the ceiling."

Quark's ears flushed. "And you waited until after I hung 50 flower garlands to tell me?"

Aria shrugged. "I forgot. Now, you better take those down, or I'll have to place you under arrest." Quark dashed off, screaming at his helpers. Giggling, she turned back to Shar. "Sorry. What were we talking about?"

"You don't talk to your mother?"

"No, I think we were talking about how you're afraid to stand up to your _zhavey_."

"What happened between the two of you?"

"I can't tell you anything, can I? You just go and pick apart every word to see what else is wrong with me. If you really must know, we disagreed on me joining Starfleet. Now, back to you. I don't get why you not wanting to get married is such a big deal."

"It is an important rite of passage, as well as being critical to the survival of my species." Shar said heavily. "The rate of fertility is low since we have four genders; our bondmates are chosen for us based on genetic compatibility. For an Andorian to refuse marriage is most unusual."

"You've said it yourself; you're not like most Andorians." Aria said, a soft smile on her face. "And you're not refusing to get married; you're just waiting a bit. Don't let your _zhavey _guilt you into marriage."

"Thank you for all your help, Ari."

"Did you just call me Ari?"

Shar hastened to apologize. "Forgive me, I did not mean-."

"No, it's fine. I've been called worse. Now, how about getting me that drink?"

* * *

"Janel!"

Ezri's older brother picked her up in a crushing hug. "How you doing, little girl?"

"I can't breathe!" She squealed.

"Put your sister down, Janel." Yanas Tigan chided. "You're attracting attention." She opened her arms and gave Ezri a hug. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm fine, Mother. I'm so glad you could come."

"Well, I couldn't miss my only daughter's wedding. I see you're growing out your hair again."

Ezri tucked a few strands behind her ear. "It's just a few centimeters. I've gotten used to having it short."

Yanas caught Ezri's hand as she lowered it. "What's this?"

Ezri glanced down at her engagement ring. "Oh, Julian gave it to me when he proposed. It's an old human tradition."

Yanas pursed her lips. "Well, at least it's a pretty tradition."

Ezri's heart sank. Any lingering hope that her mother had accepted the fact that she was marrying a Human just vanished. Forcing a smile, she asked, "Why don't I give you guys a tour of the station? Or would you rather go to your quarters and rest for a bit?"

"What I would like to do is meet my future son-in-law. Where is he?"

"Julian's on Bajor, Mother; he won't be back until this evening."

"Then I suppose we'll take that tour." Yanas brushed past her daughter and made her way down the hall, Janel close behind her. Ezri sighed and followed her family. Clearly, the next few days were going to be more of a challenge then she initially thought.

They stopped at the Bolian restaurant for lunch before touring the Promenade. Janel seemed mildly interested in the place his sister called home, while Yanas viewed her surroundings with barely concealed disdain. "Do you mean to tell me that you're getting married in a bar?" She asked incredulously as Ezri led them through Quark's.

"Just wait until all the decorations are up, Mother. You won't even recognize it."

"I hope so. Where will you be having the _kali_'_tet _ritual?"

"Um, we're not having a Trill ceremony."

"And why not?"

"Julian and I don't want some big, tedious wedding; we're trying to keep things simple."

"Well, it wouldn't be too difficult to include the ritual. It is an important part of a Trill marriage."

"Yes, but this isn't strictly a Trill marriage." Ezri reminded her. "I'm not going to force Julian to go through all our customs when I don't mind having a Human ceremony. Besides, I've already been through five Trill weddings."

"I suppose it is more important to add to Dax's experiences then to respect tradition." Yanas remarked drily.

Ezri bit back a sharp retort. "Don't do this, Mother."

"Do what?" Yanas asked as they left Quark's.

"You're criticizing, and it's not fair."

"Not fair? Was it fair of you to call me one day and tell me that you're marrying a man I never heard of?"

"This is my wedding, and you're going out of your way to ruin it!"

"I don't have to ruin anything. Do you really think this marriage will last? You have no idea what's ahead of you; you're not ready for this!"

"And how would you know?" Ezri hissed. "I'm not Ezri Tigan anymore, I'm Ezri Dax. You don't know me anymore."

"I'm still your mother. All I'm trying to do is look out for you."

"Well, don't! This is my life and my choice. I'm going to marry Julian, and if you don't like it, then you might as well head back home!"

Yanas and Ezri glared at each other. "I think this tour is over." Yanas finally said.

"Yeah, you could say that." Ezri watched her mother walk away. "Aren't you going with her?" She asked Janel, who was still standing next to her.

"Do you want me to?"

"If you're going to defend her, yeah."

"You don't know what she's been going through lately."

Ezri turned to leave. "Goodbye, Janel."

"Wait." Janel grabbed her arm. "Don't take it personally; she's been like this ever since Norvo was arrested."

Ezri bit her lip, cursing herself for not asking about the youngest Tigan sooner. "How is he?"

"He's been better. Mother has been taking it really hard, though. She blames herself for what happened."

"She should! She pushed and manipulated Norvo when he was at his most vulnerable, and he couldn't take it anymore."

"She did what she thought was best." Janel countered sternly. "Did any of your past hosts make mistakes as parents? We all should have realized something was wrong with Norvo; you can't put all the blame on Mother."

"This has nothing to do with Norvo. I'm sick of her criticizing my life. I don't want to have to deal with this on my wedding."

"Do you want us to leave?"

Ezri sighed, leaning on the railing overlooking the Promenade. "No. I just don't want to fight anymore."

"I'll talk to Mother; see if I can get her to lay off you a bit. Do you still want to have dinner later?"

"I guess we can give it a try. Julian should be back by then." Ezri glanced over at her brother. "How do you feel about Julian being Human?"

"It doesn't matter to me as long as he treats you right."

"Aw, look who's getting overprotective." Ezri teased.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Hey, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Well, there's this old Human tradition of a member of the bride's family walking her down the aisle. Mother'll never agree to do it, so do you think you could?"

Janel considered the request as Ezri waited nervously. She knew her brother didn't enjoy a lot of attention, but she really wanted him to have a part in the ceremony. Finally, he nodded. "I'd be honored."

"Thank you!" Ezri cried, throwing her arms around him.

Janel hugged her back. "Anything for you, little girl."

* * *

Ezri sighed. Julian had gotten back from his trip almost ten minutes ago, but she hadn't heard from him yet. He was supposed to meet her in her quarters so they could go to dinner with her mother, but so far, there was no sign of him. "Computer, locate Doctor Bashir."

"Doctor Bashir is in the Infirmary."

With a sigh, Ezri went to go get him. "When she entered the Infirmary, Julian was crouched over one of the monitors, examining the data on the screen. He must have come straight here after getting back; he was still wearing his civilian clothes. "Hey, there."

Julian glanced up. "Oh, hey."

"Whatcha doing?"

He beckoned her over. "Come see."

Ezri tried to make sense of the readings. "What's all this about?"

"I think I may have found a way to treat burns without using a dermal regenerator."

"Seriously?"

"Well, not everyone has access to one."

"Like who?"

Julian avoided the question. "You see, the Torei root on Bajor has an enzyme that accelerates the process of repairing external tissue. If I can find a way to isolate the enzyme-."

Ezri interrupted him. "And how long would that take?"

"Oh, just a few hours."

Ezri didn't know whether to laugh or roll her eyes. "Is that really the best you could come up with?"

Julian tried to look innocent. "What do you mean?"

"Julian, you promised!"

He shrugged. "It was worth a try."

Ezri tugged his arm. "Come one. Let's get going before my mother comes looking for us."

As they made their way to the Habitat Ring, Julian asked, "Is there anything special I should do?"

"Just be your usual charming self and she might decide to like you."

"Might?"

"My mother doesn't like anyone."

As they entered the turbolift, Julian noticed the tension on Ezri's face. "Rough day?"

Ezri leaned against the railing, her eyes closed. "Not all of us had the luxury of partying with Bajoran women."

"What?" Julian exclaimed. "That's… we weren't…"

"Relax, Julian. I'm just messing with you."

"You're in a bad mood."

"Blame Curzon. I'm feeling very Curzon today."

"Because of your mother?"

"I'd love to have her go a couple of rounds with Curzon. Bet that would knock her down a few of pegs."

"Ezri." Julian said warningly as they exited the turbolift.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm good now. Gonna behave myself from here on out."

"Oh, I don't know. I kinda like this side of you." Julian smirked.

Ezri rolled her eyes. "You're impossible." They reached the quarters where Yanas and Janel were staying. "You ready?"

"Probably not."

"It's not too late to back out."

"Now, we don't want to be rude, do we?" Julian gave Ezri a reassuring smile as he pressed the door chime.

The doors slid open to reveal Yanas. Ignoring Julian, she said to Ezri, "You're late."

Julian answered her for Ezri. "That's my fault. I had some lab work to finish."

Ezri introduced the pair. "Mother, I'd like you to meet Julian Bashir. Julian, this is my mother."

Julian offered his hand, and after a moment's hesitation, Yanas shook it. "Are you hungry, Julian?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then come in. I managed to find some Trill recipes in your station's replicator. Have you ever had Mintana stew?"

Julian shook his head. "No, I can't say that I have."

Yanas gave Ezri a disapproving look. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Ezri and Julian shared a glance. Getting Yanas to like Julian was clearly going to be more difficult than they thought.

* * *

A couple hours later, Ezri and Julian left her mother's quarters. "That wasn't so bad." Julian said.

"She insulted you all evening!" Ezri exclaimed.

"Yes, she does seem determined not to like me. It's kind of flattering."

"Whatever. I'm just glad it's finally over.

Julian was quiet for a few moments, then said, "There is one thing that's bothering me."

"Was it the comment about you enhancements? I told her not to mention them!"

"No, I don't care about that, but…"

"But what?"

Julian ran a hand through his hair. "Do you think I don't respect your culture enough?"

"Is that what's bothering you? Julian, I wasn't even raised on Trill. We never paid much attention to tradition when I was growing up; my mother's just trying to find something to complain about." They reached Ezri's quarters. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Julian stared down at her, confused. "Don't I get to come in?"

"If I let you in, you won't leave."

"Since when was that a bad thing?"

Ezri stood in the doorway, smiling at her befuddled fiancée. "You're about to spend the rest of your life with me. I think you can do without me for a few more nights."

"That doesn't mean I want to."

"Good night, Julian." Ezri gave him a kiss before entering her quarters, the door sliding shut in his face. Julian stood alone in the hall, dumbfounded. Suddenly, the wedding couldn't happen soon enough.

* * *

**Just one chapter left! I'm so excited! Review if you want a free, virtual trip to the Hoobishian Baths!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_Breathe in, breathe out. Don't think about anything. Breathe in_-. It was no use. Ezri opened her eyes and stared up at the dark ceiling. "Computer, what time is it?"

"The time is 0243."

Eleven hours. In eleven hours, Ezri Dax would be marrying Julian Bashir.

Giving up on sleep, Ezri kicked the rumpled sheets aside and climbed out of bed. She walked over to the window and stared out at the stars, trying to calm her thoughts. She wasn't going to lie, she was nervous. Terrified might be a better word. This was one of the most important events in her life, and the enormity of it made her want to bury her head under the covers and hide. However, Ezri knew that what she was feeling was just pre-wedding jitters, and that they would disappear once she was with Julian.

If someone asked her a few years ago if she ever planned on getting married, Ezri would have laughed at them. Her parents' marriage had been anything but smooth, and Ezri had never been able to stay in a relationship for very long. Dax changed that. The majority of her hosts had been married, and their good experiences outweighed Ezri's bad ones. Lela and Audrid had found so much joy and comfort in their families, and Tobin's wife encouraged him in ways no one else could. Ezri giggled as she remembered how nervous Emony had been before her wedding; the memory made Ezri feel more comfortable about her own fears. Then there was Torias, whose love for Nilani Kahn was so strong that it endured past his lifetime. Curzon, on the other hand, loved too much, and Joran loved too little. And Jadzia…

Ezri paused in her reminiscing. What would Jadzia have to say about all this? Would she be angry that Ezri was marrying one of her closest friends? The Trill Symbiosis Committee certainly was. They called Ezri the moment they heard of her engagement, accusing her of Reassociation. They were never pleased with her decision to remain of Deep Space 9, but they saw her feelings for Julian as crossing the line. Thankful that they didn't know about her brief affair with Worf, Ezri had angrily defended herself. She admitted that she may be closer to Jadzia's life then what was usually acceptable, but Jadzia and Julian never had a relationship other than friendship; there was no risk of Reassociation with her own relationship with Julian.

Before her Joining, Ezri would have never spoken to government officials in such a way. Looking back, she realized that it was Jadzia who had given her the courage to stand up for herself. Ezri owed more to Jadzia then she once thought. Ezri would have never stayed on DS9 if she hadn't carried Jadzia's memories of the place. Not only had Jadzia's memories given her new friends and a home, but Julian as well. Ezri didn't think Jadzia would be angry that she was marrying Julian; she would be happy for them.

Sitting on the windowsill, Ezri continued to watch the stars. There were so many of them, each full of life and possibilities. Would Dax ever visit all of them? Maybe, but not during Ezri's lifetime. She was content to stay here, in the home where she felt safe, with the man she loved.

* * *

"I still think this would have been much nicer if you had the ceremony in one of the holosuites." Miles said.

Julian shrugged. "Try telling that to Ezri."

With Ezri and Julian's wedding less than an hour away, the groom and his best man were watching from one of the upper levels of Quark's as guests started to file in. "So, are you nervous?" asked Miles.

"Yeah, a bit."

"Look on the bright side; at least she hasn't tried to cancel the wedding. That's what Keiko did to me."

Julian smiled, but he wasn't really paying attention. He would be a married man in less than an hour; the idea was slightly unnerving.

Miles noticed the look on his friend's face. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine."

Miles hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just want to be sure you know what you're getting into. Marriage isn't exactly a walk in the park."

Julian gave Miles an incredulous look. "Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Just checking."

Julian heaved a sigh. "Look, I'm the first to admit that Ezri and I don't always get along, but we still love each other. I'd take that over a few fights any day."

"Trust me; you'll have more than a few."

"You're really not making me feel better."

Miles clapped Julian on the shoulder, laughing. "Don't worry so much. You and Ezri have something special. I'm sure you'll have a long, happy life together."

"Thanks, Miles."

"Still nervous?"

"Just a little."

"I think more than a little. If you're this much of a mess, I can only imagine how Ezri's doing."

* * *

"I think I'm going to throw up."

"Don't be ridiculous." Kira said as she smoothed a few wrinkles in Ezri's dress.

"I'm serious. I'm going to throw up." Ezri insisted.

"Well, if you do, try not to get anything on the dress. Del Floria did an amazing job."

Ezri's dress was beautiful. It was made of a pale blue material that appeared white under the bright lights of the Promenade. It clung to her body, and the scooping neckline showed off the spots on her neck and shoulders. Ezri nervously tugged at the wide sleeves of the gown. "You know, Emony actually tried to run away on the day of her wedding. If Renal hadn't caught her and talked her out of it they probably wouldn't have gotten married at all."

"I hope you're not thinking of doing the same thing."

"It's looking better and better all the time."

Yanas had been watching the two friends converse with each other. She stepped forward, saying, "You better go inside, Colonel. The ceremony should be starting soon."

Kira nodded and gave Ezri a hug. "Don't worry; you'll be fine. I'll see you in a bit." She ducked into Quark's.

Yanas walked over to her daughter and brushed a strand of loose hair away from Ezri's face. "You look lovely."

"Thank you, Mother."

Yanas hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your father would have been proud of you."

Ezri swallowed hard before answering. "I wish he could've been here."

"So do I. He always wanted to see you get married. I did, too."

Ezri's voice shook. "And what about now?"

"All I want is for you to be happy. Are you?"

Ezri nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Then that's all that matters. I'm proud of you, dear."

A warm glow spread through Ezri. After so many years of fighting with her mother, it was such a relief to have this moment of peace between the two of them. She opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment, Janel came out of Quark's. "It's time." He said.

Ezri's chest tightened and she grabbed her mother's hand. Yanas gently pried her loose. "I should go inside. Good luck." Then she was gone, leaving Ezri and Janel alone.

"You don't look so good." Janel observed.

"I think I'm gonna throw up."

"Uh oh."

"Other than that, how do I look?"

Janel smiled. "You look beautiful. Ready?"

"I think so."

He offered her his arm. "Then let's go."

* * *

Julian couldn't believe how beautiful Ezri looked. She was like a fairy, glowing under the soft light. She blushed as everyone stared at her as Janel lead her to him. Any fears or nerves that Julian had been feeling vanished; all he wanted was to be with Ezri.

Finally, the two Trills reached the altar where Julian was waiting with Captain Sisko and Miles. Janel gave his sister a hug before passing her off to Julian. Ezri grinned up at him. "Hi."

Julian smiled at her, squeezing her hand. "Hi yourself."

Sisko cleared his throat and began to speak. "One of the most pleasant duties of a senior officer is the privilege of joining two people together in matrimony. Today I have the honor to unite Ezri Tigan Dax and Julian Subatoi Bashir in marriage."

He turned to Julian. "Julian, do you take Ezri to be your wedded wife; to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"

Julian did not take his gaze off Ezri. "I do."

Now it was Ezri's turn. "Ezri, do you take Julian to be your wedded husband; to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?"

Ezri nodded. "I do."

Miles handed Sisko the rings. "These rings are a symbol of your unending love for each other."

Julian took Ezri's ring from Sisko and slid it onto her finger, saying, "With this ring, I thee wed."

Ezri took Julian's ring and repeated the action. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"By the power vested in me by Starfleet Command and the United Federation of Planets, I pronounce you husband and wife."

Cradling Ezri's face in his hands, Julian kissed her. When they separated, both were grinning. They had done it; they were finally married. All the troubles in the galaxy seemed so unimportant when compared to the joy they felt. Joining hands, Ezri and Julian turned to greet their friends and family, all of whom were clamoring to offer their congratulations. Despite all the hugs they received, neither one released the other's hand, nor did they intend to anytime soon.

* * *

"What's shakin', pretty lady?"

"Nog, I already told you; if you keep talking like that I'm gonna have to hurt you."

"Come on, Aria. Try to live in the moment."

"It's bad enough that Bashir and Dax are having their reception in some holographic representation of and old Las Vegas casino; don't try to make me enjoy myself."

"At least let me introduce you to Vic. He's a great guy."

Aria gave Nog a pitying look. "He's a hologram."

Shar interrupted the pair. "Some holograms are very sophisticated, Aria. There is no reason to treat Vic and the others in this program as if they are not real."

"Thank you!" Nog cried.

Aria shook her head. "You're both crazy."

Nog ignored her. "Hey, Shar, there's a couple of girls that I think you may want to meet."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Mary and Betty. When I was staying here after I lost my leg, they were a huge help."

Shar's face flushed a dark blue. "But… but they're holograms."

"Now, Shar," Aria chided. "There's no reason to treat them like they aren't real."

Nog pulled Shar out of his chair. "Come on, I'll introduce you." He ignored Shar's stammered protests and dragged him away.

Aria shook her head and smiled. Less than a year ago she never would have imagined that she would meet people who she enjoyed spending her time with. Now she had two friends who meant the world to her. Nog never failed to make her laugh, and Shar's counsel and support helped her through some of her darkest moments.

When Aria heard that she was being transferred to Deep Space 9, she had been furious. She lost her faith in Starfleet and didn't plan to stay with them for much longer. Then she learned that Areli was alive. He twin sister was a constant source of joy for her when they were growing up; she believed in Aria when no one else did. The thought that she might lose Areli's faith terrified Aria, and since the discovery of _Voyager _she had put all her effort into making sure Areli would come home to a sister she could be proud of. In the process, this old Cardassian space station had become her home. Aria didn't know if she would ever see Areli again, but she had a feeling that if they did meet again, Areli would not be disappointed.

Ezri and Julian sat at their table on the other side of Vic's Lounge, where Julian was trying to talk his new wife into trying some calamari. "I can't believe you've never had this before."

"Dax is picky when it comes to new food."

"Please? I'm sure you'll love it."

"No!"

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you try it."

Rolling her eyes, Ezri sampled a small mouthful. "Not bad." She admitted.

"So I was right."

"I wouldn't go that far."

The room quieted down as Vic approached the microphone. "Nice to see all these faces in here for a change." He said. "Normally I have to bribe my customers to get this many people in here." The audience chuckled as Vic continued. "Since I know you're not here to listen to me yammer on, I'd like to ask the bride and groom onto the dance floor for a special number I've prepared for them."

"Did you know about this?" Ezri hissed at Julian.

"It was my idea." At the look of panic on Ezri's face, Julian reassured her. "Don't worry. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine."

Julian led Ezri to the center of the lounge, her face bright red. Vic began to sing, his rich voice filling the room.

_Fly me to the moon  
Let me play among the stars  
Let me see what spring is like  
On a, Jupiter and Mars  
In other words, hold my hand  
In other words, baby, kiss me_

_Fill my heart with song_  
_And let me sing for ever more_  
_You are all I long for_  
_All I worship and adore_  
_In other words, please be true_  
_In other words, I love you_

_Fill my heart with song_  
_Let me sing for ever more_  
_You are all I long for_  
_All I worship and adore_  
_In other words, please be true_  
_In other words, in other words_

The room burst into applause as Vic finished his song. Grinning, Julian pulled Ezri in for a deep kiss. The attention they were getting didn't matter right now. He was hers, and she was his. That was how it should be, and the way it would remain for the rest of their lives.

* * *

**True love prevails over all! What better way to end Book 1? Thanks for all the reviews and support you guys have given me; this wouldn't have been possible without you. I hope to post the first chapter of Book 2 sometime next week, so keep your eyes peeled. I'll see you soon.**


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